diff --git a/io/plugins/eu.esdihumboldt.hale.io.csv.ui/src/eu/esdihumboldt/hale/io/csv/ui/TypeSelectionPage.java b/io/plugins/eu.esdihumboldt.hale.io.csv.ui/src/eu/esdihumboldt/hale/io/csv/ui/TypeSelectionPage.java
index d5dccb9e18..9fa433863d 100644
--- a/io/plugins/eu.esdihumboldt.hale.io.csv.ui/src/eu/esdihumboldt/hale/io/csv/ui/TypeSelectionPage.java
+++ b/io/plugins/eu.esdihumboldt.hale.io.csv.ui/src/eu/esdihumboldt/hale/io/csv/ui/TypeSelectionPage.java
@@ -16,11 +16,17 @@
 
 package eu.esdihumboldt.hale.io.csv.ui;
 
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.List;
+
 import javax.xml.namespace.QName;
 
 import org.eclipse.jface.layout.GridDataFactory;
+import org.eclipse.jface.viewers.ArrayContentProvider;
+import org.eclipse.jface.viewers.ComboViewer;
 import org.eclipse.jface.viewers.ISelectionChangedListener;
 import org.eclipse.jface.viewers.SelectionChangedEvent;
+import org.eclipse.jface.viewers.StructuredSelection;
 import org.eclipse.swt.SWT;
 import org.eclipse.swt.layout.GridData;
 import org.eclipse.swt.layout.GridLayout;
@@ -51,6 +57,7 @@ public class TypeSelectionPage extends InstanceReaderConfigurationPage implement
 	private Spinner skipNlinesSpinner;
 	private Label setTypeLabel;
 	private Label skipNlinesLabels;
+	private ComboViewer dateFormatterCombo;
 
 	/**
 	 * default constructor
@@ -122,16 +129,36 @@ public void selectionChanged(SelectionChangedEvent event) {
 		skipNlinesSpinner.setIncrement(1);
 		skipNlinesSpinner.setPageIncrement(10);
 
+//		create date formatter combo
+		Label dateFormatterLabel = new Label(page, SWT.NONE);
+		dateFormatterLabel.setText("Format for imported date values");
+		dateFormatterCombo = new ComboViewer(page, SWT.READ_ONLY);
+		dateFormatterCombo.setContentProvider(ArrayContentProvider.getInstance());
+		List<String> list = createDatePatternsList();
+		dateFormatterCombo.setInput(list);
+		dateFormatterCombo.setSelection(new StructuredSelection(list.get(0)));
+
 		page.pack();
 
 		setPageComplete(false);
 	}
 
+	private List<String> createDatePatternsList() {
+		return Arrays.asList(
+				// Standard date formats
+				"yyyy-MM-dd", "yy-MM-dd", "dd-MM-yyyy", "MM-dd-yyyy", "yyyy/MM/dd", "dd/MM/yyyy",
+				"dd/MMM/yyyy", "MM/dd/yyyy", "yyyy.MM.dd", "dd.MM.yyyy", "MM.dd.yyyy", "yyyyMMdd",
+				// Custom date format
+				"MMMM d, yyyy");
+	}
+
 	@Override
 	public boolean updateConfiguration(InstanceReader provider) {
 
 		provider.setParameter(CommonSchemaConstants.PARAM_SKIP_N_LINES,
 				Value.of(skipNlinesSpinner.getSelection()));
+		provider.setParameter(CommonSchemaConstants.PARAM_DATE_FORMATTER,
+				Value.of(dateFormatterCombo.getSelection()));
 		if (sel.getSelectedObject() != null) {
 			QName name = sel.getSelectedObject().getName();
 			String param_name = name.toString();
diff --git a/io/plugins/eu.esdihumboldt.hale.io.xls/src/eu/esdihumboldt/hale/io/xls/reader/ReaderSettings.java b/io/plugins/eu.esdihumboldt.hale.io.xls/src/eu/esdihumboldt/hale/io/xls/reader/ReaderSettings.java
index dc9b133e86..baf9193321 100644
--- a/io/plugins/eu.esdihumboldt.hale.io.xls/src/eu/esdihumboldt/hale/io/xls/reader/ReaderSettings.java
+++ b/io/plugins/eu.esdihumboldt.hale.io.xls/src/eu/esdihumboldt/hale/io/xls/reader/ReaderSettings.java
@@ -201,7 +201,8 @@ else if (skipType) {
 		}
 
 		// read dateFormat
-		String dateFormatString = reader.getParameter(PARAMETER_DATE_FORMAT).as(String.class);
+		String dateFormatString = reader.getParameter(ReaderSettings.PARAMETER_DATE_FORMAT)
+				.as(String.class);
 
 		// apply to all sheets as default
 		for (SheetInfo sheet : sheets) {