Europa Road has confirmed that UK exporters have transitioned smoothly to its new Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) services following the abolishment of one-off tax representation in France for non-EU businesses which came into force on 1 January.
Provider of acoustic solutions, Allaway Acoustics, is a prime example of a UK-based business that would have been severely impacted by the new French legislative requirements. Allaway provides materials for data centres across the EU – with bespoke acoustic solutions to control noise emissions from power generation and cooling equipment. A third of Allaway’s business is with European markets, including large projects in Germany, Netherlands and France, so any delays could have a significant financial impact.
The new rules require UK exporters shipping goods into the EU (via France) under DDP terms to hold a French VAT number. Alternatively, the EU importer can appoint Europa to zero-rate the import VAT on their behalf.
Minimal disruption
At the end of 2025, confusion around these new French regulations was rife and threatened to undermine British exporters’ confidence in European trade. While the changes generated widespread concern in the run-up to their launch, Europa’s customers have continued trading with minimal disruption.
Faced with the challenges of these new French regulations, Europa offered early intervention to all its customers, including Allaway, and outlined the options available to ensure its EU customers didn’t face disruption or delays.
Drawing on its experience with 100 in-house customs specialists working across the EU and UK, Europa expanded its DDP Flow services to offer a choice between: ‘DDP Flow – Importer’s Signature’ and ‘DDP Flow – Own French VAT Number’. It’s early days, but to date the company reports equal numbers of its customers choosing each option, reflecting their differing operational and commercial needs.
