FAQs — Eceiza S.A. | Frequently asked questions

Answers to the most common questions about transit, customs, Intrastat, Brexit and tax representation.

Frequently asked questions

We answer the most common questions about customs, transport and international tax.

If you need a specific answer for your operation, Eceiza SA's team helps you directly from Barcelona.

FAQs query

Faqs

Transport

What international transport services does Eceiza SA offer?

Eceiza SA offers sea (FCL and LCL), air, road and rail transport with global coverage in Asia, China, the Americas, the Middle East and Europe. At Eceiza SA we are IATA agents, accredited agents and NVOCC, with a single point of contact for transport, customs and delivery.

What does an international door-to-door service include?

A door-to-door service integrates origin pick-up, international transport, export and import customs clearance, cargo insurance, terminal handling and final delivery to the consignee. Eceiza SA coordinates all legs with a single contact and full shipment traceability.

What factors can cause delays in an international shipment?

Common delays come from port or airport congestion, customs inspections, incomplete or incorrect documentation, adverse weather, strikes, regulatory changes and restrictions at origin or destination. Good documentary preparation and choosing the right freight forwarder minimise these risks.

How do port incidents affect delivery times?

Port incidents (congestion, strikes, lack of vessel space, blank sailings or closures) can extend timelines by days or weeks and increase freight and demurrage costs. Eceiza SA monitors key ports and proposes alternative routes or modal changes to keep delivery commitments.

What are the advantages of international rail transport?

Rail offers a balance between cost and transit time: faster than sea and much cheaper than air. It is especially competitive on Asia-Europe corridors, has a lower carbon footprint and offers regular departures, ideal for planned cargo with intermediate timelines.

Consulting

How are operations with the United Kingdom handled after Brexit?

Since 1 January 2021, operations with the United Kingdom are no longer intra-EU. Eceiza SA processes customs declarations, tariff classification, documentary review and door-to-door transport, and identifies incidents before they affect the operation.

What additional costs may appear after Brexit?

Since Brexit, duties, import VAT, customs clearance fees, certificates of origin, health or phytosanitary controls, temporary storage and additional logistics costs may apply. Eceiza SA anticipates them and includes them in the quote to avoid surprises.

What are the differences between operating inside and outside the EU?

Inside the EU, goods circulate freely with Intrastat declarations and no customs. Outside the EU, export and import customs clearance, tariff classification, payment of duties and VAT, and compliance with each country's specific regulations are required. Timelines, costs and documentation are notably more complex.

What are the benefits of working with a single contact for transport, customs and tax?

Eceiza SA lets you centralise transport, customs and tax with a single contact, reducing management time, avoiding misalignments between providers, simplifying shipment traceability and allowing anticipation of incidents before they affect operations. It also provides a global view of costs and timelines, with a single responsibility across the chain.

How does Eceiza SA help prevent documentary and administrative incidents?

Eceiza SA performs a prior documentary review of every operation (invoices, packing list, certificates of origin, licences and authorisations), validates tariff classification, checks regulatory compliance of the destination country and coordinates para-customs controls. This preventive work minimises holds, penalties and extra costs.

Customs

What does a customs broker do and when do I need one?

A customs broker (customs representative) processes import and export clearances before the Administration, classifies goods for tariff purposes, calculates customs value and manages special procedures. Eceiza SA, as Authorised Economic Operator (AEO), is needed whenever you import or export outside the EU, or want to optimise costs and timelines.

What happens if the documentation of an import is incorrect?

Incorrect documentation can cause customs holds, financial penalties, requests for correction, tariff reclassifications and storage cost overruns. In severe cases the goods can be seized. Prior documentary review by an AEO agent avoids most of these incidents.

How long can goods be held at customs?

Holds depend on the type of incident: a documentary review can be resolved in hours, while physical inspections or para-customs controls (SOIVRE, Health, Pharmacy) can extend for several days or weeks. The maximum time in temporary storage is 90 days, after which a customs destination must be assigned.

Which goods require special customs controls?

Specific controls apply to food, pharmaceutical and health products, cosmetics, dangerous goods (ADR/IMDG), textiles, electronics, products of animal or plant origin (CITES, phytosanitary), weapons, dual-use goods and goods subject to international sanctions.

What is customs clearance and how does it work?

Customs clearance is the administrative procedure by which goods enter or leave the EU customs territory. It includes filing the SAD, tariff classification, declaration of customs value, settlement of taxes and, if applicable, physical inspection. Once authorised, the goods are free to circulate or be exported.

How do tariffs affect international trade?

Tariffs make imports more expensive, shape product competitiveness and can reshape entire trade flows. Good tariff classification, the use of preferential agreements and special procedures (inward processing, customs warehousing) can legally reduce their impact.

What is the preferential origin of goods?

Preferential origin is granted by trade agreements between the EU and third countries and allows reduced or zero tariffs if goods meet the agreed origin rules. It must be evidenced with EUR.1 certificates, origin declarations or REX, depending on the applicable agreement.

Tax

What is tax representation in Spain and when is it needed?

It is the tax figure that allows non-resident companies to operate within the Spanish VAT territory. Eceiza SA acts as tax representative and coordinates all declarations, forms and requests from the Administration.

What tax obligations does a non-resident company have?

A non-resident company operating in Spain must obtain a tax ID, register for VAT, file periodic returns (forms 303, 390, 349), keep VAT registers, comply with SII if applicable and, in many cases, appoint a tax representative to respond before the Administration.

What happens if a foreign company has no tax representative?

Without a tax representative, a non-resident company required to have one may see VAT refunds denied, receive penalties, lose the right to deduct VAT and have customs operations halted. In regulated sectors it may make it impossible to operate in Spain.

About Eceiza SA

Where is Eceiza SA's office?

Eceiza S.A. is located at Ronda Sant Pere 19-21, Atic 1st, 08010 Barcelona, with centralised clearance from Barcelona customs for goods across the Iberian Peninsula and Europe.

In which countries does Eceiza SA operate?

Eceiza SA operates worldwide thanks to a proprietary network of agents and correspondents in Asia, China, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa and all of Europe. We coordinate door-to-door imports and exports from any origin and to any destination.

What kind of companies and sectors does Eceiza SA work with?

At Eceiza SA we work with industrial, distribution, importing and exporting companies in very diverse sectors: food, chemicals, textiles, electronics, machinery, industrial automotive and components (B2B, not private vehicles), retail, pharma and consumer goods, tailoring the logistics and customs solution to each operation.

Does Eceiza SA offer integrated transport and customs solutions?

Yes. Eceiza SA integrates international transport (sea, air, road and rail), customs clearance as an Authorised Economic Operator (AEO), tax representation and foreign-trade consulting under a single contact. This allows all door-to-door operations to be coordinated with full traceability and without intermediaries.

What are the benefits of working with Eceiza SA on international operations?

Working with Eceiza SA brings more than 95 years of experience, AEO status, IATA and NVOCC agents, a proprietary worldwide agent network, a single contact for transport, customs and tax, and a team that anticipates incidents and optimises costs and timelines on every shipment.