PII requirements for customs entries

While this information is not directly mandated by U.S. Customs, it is required by the clearance process. CBP requires licensed customs brokers to exercise responsible supervision and control over the customs business they handle, including responding to CBP communications (19 CFR 111.28). Part of that is knowing the shipper and being able to contact them. Without shipper contact details, shipments are more likely to be held, seized, or returned.

1. CBP directs inquiries to the broker. Under 19 U.S.C. 1509(a)(2), CBP can summon the importer, the exporter, and anyone "filing declarations or entries." For a postal entry, the party filing the entry is the broker designated by the origin post. For postal shipments, Zonos is both the broker and the importer of record, so CBP directs its questions to Zonos.
2. The broker must respond. Under 19 CFR 111.29(a), "each broker must exercise due diligence ... in answering correspondence ... relating to any customs business matter handled by him as a broker." Responding is a licensing obligation.
3. CBP can require more than the entry data. It can require a formal entry for any mail shipment (19 CFR 145.12(a)(1)). It can require the invoice showing an accurate description and purchase price (19 CFR 145.11(b)). And it can examine "any record" relevant to whether the entry is correct (19 U.S.C. 1509(a)(1)).
4. Only the shipper has that information. The shipper is the practical source for obtaining information missing from the postal declaration. The recipient may know what they ordered and paid, but manufacturing details, material composition, origin documentation, and supporting invoices may need to be supplied or obtained by the shipper. The broker therefore needs a reliable way to contact the shipper when that information is required to complete customs clearance.
5. If the inquiry goes unanswered. Merchandise without a proper declaration and invoice "may be subject to seizure and forfeiture in accordance with § 145.4" (19 CFR 145.11(d)). Failing to produce records CBP demands can also lead to penalties against the importer of record and the filing broker (19 U.S.C. 1509(g), 1641(d)). The shipment may remain held or be returned.

This information is not mandated EU-wide, though it can be required under country-specific implementation. It is requested because:

1. Sender and receiver identification is required for customs clearance. EU postal and low-value import declarations identify the sender under "Exporter" and the final receiver under "Importer." The relevant data requirements include names and addresses. In specified cases, an EORI number or another recognized identifier replaces the need to enter name and address separately. (Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446, Annex B, datasets H6 and H7, data elements 13 01 000 000 and 13 04 000 000, including their name/address sub-elements and note 6; European Commission, Guidance on Importation and Exportation of Low Value Consignments, section 2.2.1.2(f)–(h))
2. Email and telephone details are not a universal requirement for both parties. The EU's common import-declaration requirements do not impose a blanket obligation to provide both the sender's and receiver's email address or telephone number on every shipment. Contact requirements must be distinguished from name/address requirements and from contact details required for the declarant or customs representative. The applicable national filing system and procedure must also be considered. (Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446, Annex B, Group 13 — Parties)
3. Customs can require additional information and documents. Persons involved in customs formalities must provide requested information, documents, and assistance within the specified deadline. Customs may also require further documents when verifying a declaration. (Regulation (EU) No 952/2013, Union Customs Code, Articles 15(1) and 188(b))
4. The customs representative shares responsibility for the information submitted. Responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of declaration information, and the authenticity, accuracy, and validity of supporting documents, also applies to the customs representative. Direct contact with the relevant party helps resolve omissions or discrepancies. (Union Customs Code, Article 15(2))
5. The sender and receiver may need to supply different information. The sender is the practical contact for obtaining product specifications, material composition, manufacturing details, and supporting invoices. The receiver may need to confirm purchase details, intended use, or identity, or authorize customs representation. Customs may require evidence that the representative is empowered to act. Email and telephone details provide practical channels for obtaining these responses. (Union Customs Code, Articles 15, 18, and 19)
6. Unresolved requirements can delay clearance. Release depends on satisfying the applicable customs conditions. If essential information, documents, or authorization cannot be obtained, clearance may remain unresolved. Reliable contact details help the parties address those requirements; their absence is not, by itself, an automatic legal ground for rejection or return. (Union Customs Code, Article 194)

This information is not mandated by U.S. Customs. However, it is requested because:

1. CBP expressly prefers receiver contact information. CBP's postal-data regulation lists recipient telephone/fax/email as optional and defines optional data as not mandatory, but preferred (19 CFR 145.74(d)(1)(vi)).
2. The receiver may need to participate in clearance. CBP may require formal entry for any mail shipment, regardless of value, when necessary to protect the revenue. When formal entry is required, the addressee must be notified of the shipment's arrival and how entry must be made. The regulation does not prescribe email as the notification method, but regular mail slows down the process. (19 CFR 145.12(a)(1), (4))
3. Additional information or authorization may be needed from the receiver. The receiver may need to confirm purchase and payment details, explain the intended use of the goods, or provide supporting documents (19 CFR 141.46).
4. The broker must respond diligently to customs correspondence. Customs brokers must exercise due diligence in answering correspondence relating to customs business they handle. Direct receiver contact information enables the broker to obtain answers and documents needed to respond when an inquiry concerns the receiver's transaction or circumstances. (19 CFR 111.29(a))
5. The receiver needs to know when customs action affects the shipment. When postal merchandise is detained or seized, the addressee must be notified of the action, the reason, and, where appropriate, the right to petition for relief. Email enables the broker to communicate with the receiver and coordinate a response more quickly; it does not replace any required official notice, which will be sent by regular mail (19 CFR 145.59(b)).
6. Unresolved entry requirements can prevent delivery. If required information or authorization cannot be obtained from the receiver, clearance may remain unresolved. USPS requires an item to be treated as undeliverable when it is returned from customs custody because the addressee has not complied with required customs entry procedures. A reliable contact channel helps the receiver address those requirements before delivery becomes impossible. (USPS International Mail Manual §766.24)