As a result of the 2020 Finance Law implementation, which transfers the management and collection of import VAT from customs to the Public Finances Directorate General (DGFIP), France has implemented mandatory reporting of import VAT in the VAT return instead of having the option to pay through customs as is typically the process. This change came into effect on 1 January 2022, with additional VAT reporting changes in France, including the Declaration of Exchange Goods (DEB) split where the Intrastat dispatch and EC sales list are now separate reports.
Source: SOVOS