Binding Tariff Information (BTI) is the European Union's equivalent of a U.S. binding ruling. A BTI is a written decision issued by a member state's customs authority that classifies specific merchandise under the Combined Nomenclature or TARIC.
Once issued, a BTI is valid for three years and binding on customs authorities throughout all EU member states. Importers can rely on a BTI to ensure consistent classification — and consistent duty treatment — across every EU port of entry.
Key features:
- Issued free of charge by the customs authority of any EU member state
- Valid for three years from the date of issue
- Binding on all EU customs authorities, not just the issuing member state
- Publicly searchable in the EBTI database
- Can be revoked if the underlying classification changes
The EU BTI database is a useful research tool for U.S. classification work, especially for novel products. While EU classification doesn't bind CBP, BTIs reveal how customs authorities in the EU view a product — useful supporting evidence in U.S. ruling requests.