Starting July 1, a customs duty of three euros, established by the European Commission, will apply to all small packages ordered directly from third countries.
Small packages are considered to be those whose value does not exceed 150 euros. Packages with a higher value have been subject to customs duties before, and in their case, the amount of the duty depends on the value of the goods.
The duty amounts to 3 euros for each product group. "In practice, this means that if you order three pairs of trousers, the duty will be 3 euros. But if you order trousers, a lawn trimmer, and a ladle, the duty will be 9 euros, since it involves three different product groups," explained Sven Kukemelk, the commercial director of Omniva.
The duty applies only to goods purchased directly from third countries. If the online store is located outside the European Union, but the goods are shipped from an intermediate warehouse in the EU, then they have already gone through customs clearance, and no additional duty is charged.
Gifts sent from one individual to another are not subject to the duty.
When using large e-commerce platforms, the customer pays the duty to the online store at the time of placing the order, and no additional actions are required from them. The online store and Omniva handle the declaration of goods and payment of the duty on behalf of the customer. "Just as when placing an order you immediately pay not only for the goods but also for shipping, you will see the customs duty there as well, paying everything in one transaction," Kukemelk explained.
It is important to note that the customs duty is non-refundable. If the online store allows for the return of goods and reimbursement of their cost, the paid duty is not refunded.
Omniva warns that with the introduction of the new duty, cases of fraud may increase, where the names of the Tax and Customs Department or courier companies are used to extort money from customers.
Leave a comment