The majority of goods can be imported into the United Kingdom without the need to apply for an import licence.
There are controls on imports including firearms, plants and animals, foods, medicines, textiles and chemicals. Whether you need a licence can also depend on where the goods are coming from.
Currently ILB issues import licences for a small number of goods mainly to implement:
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Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive or RoHS was adopted in February 2003 by the European Union. The RoHS directive took effect on 1 July 2006, and is required to be enforced and become law in each member state. This directive restricts the use of six hazardous materials in the manufacture of various types of electronic and electrical equipment. It is closely linked with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) 2002/96/EC which sets collection, recycling and recovery targets for electrical goods and is part of a legislative initiative to solve the problem of huge amounts of toxic e-waste.
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The CE marking (also known as CE mark) is a mandatory conformity mark on many products placed on the single market in the European Economic Area (EEA). The CE marking certifies that a product has met EU consumer safety, health or environmental requirements.
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A Certificate of Origin (often abbreviated to CO or COO) is a document used in international trade. It traditionally states from what country the shipped goods originate, but “originate” in a CO does not mean the country the goods are shipped from, but the country where their goods are actually made.
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A bill of lading (sometimes referred to as a BOL,or B/L) is a document issued by a carrier to a shipper, acknowledging that specified goods have been received on board as cargo for conveyance to a named place for delivery to the consignee who is usually identified. A through bill of lading involves the use of at least two different modes of transport from road, rail, air, and sea. The term derives from the verb “to lade” which means to load a cargo onto a ship or other form of transport.
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The Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) Scheme was introduced on 1 July 2009.
It is a European Union initiative that helps traders communicate with customs officials when they are importing and exporting goods.

Traders wishing to register, or who are already registered as an Authorised Economic Operators, also need an EORI number.

This PDF explains how the EORI scheme works, who will qualify for an EORI number and how to apply.