EU imposes customs duty on small postal items from third countries

TALLINN - As of Wednesday, a customs duty is now in effect across the European Union for shipments valued up to 150 euros ordered from non-EU countries.

The amount of the duty depends on the number of items ordered: for each line item listed in the customs declaration, a three-euro duty is added to the shipment.

The new customs duty applies throughout the entire European Union. The change aims to better manage the volume of small shipments from non-EU countries, mitigate their environmental impact, and create a more level playing field for local producers and traders. According to the Estonian Tax and Customs Board (MTA), the majority of goods inspected by customs do not comply with EU requirements.

According to Kaari Lainevool, a service manager at the MTA's customs department, the transition of the information systems went smoothly, with the first declarations submitted shortly after midnight.

"The change impacts both the platforms and the customers. Therefore, we advise customers to be vigilant and verify at the time of purchase whether the platform collects all import taxes. This will help avoid the unpleasant surprise of discovering that additional taxes are due when the package arrives in Estonia," Lainevool emphasized.

Most major e-commerce platforms have already incorporated the new tax into the order price at checkout and are handling the customs procedures themselves, meaning individuals do not need to manage customs clearance. If a platform does not collect import taxes at the point of purchase and arrange for customs clearance, the postal or courier company will contact the customer to outline the next steps.

Individuals can still declare their shipments through the MTA's e-services portal under the "Customs" and "Postal Parcel Declaration" sections if import taxes were not collected at the time of purchase.

Lainevool also warned that the changes might lead to an increase in shipment-related scams. "It is crucial to carefully verify the sender of any notification and avoid clicking on links within it. If a package needs to be declared, the safest way is to do so through the MTA's e-services portal, e-MTA, or via the postal or courier company specified in your order," Lainevool stated.

Further details on the changes regarding small shipments and the declaration process can be found on the MTA website at www.emta.ee/vaikesaadetis.