Ukrainian citizens will be able to import goods on lower prices as the State Customs Service of Ukraine agreed to raise a threshold of duty-free importation from 200 EUR to 1,000 EUR. Only concerning post mailing and express post services this ceiling value will be raised just up to 300 EUR.  Experts consider that this norm would not lead to goods illegal entry short-cut; the introduction of limitations by transport means will have more sense here.

As it turned out, the State Customs Service of Ukraine together with the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada on Finance and Banking, Taxation and Customs Policy advised one of key norms of revised Tax Code for the second reading.  A threshold of duty-free importation of goods in carry-on bags or luggage which are not to be levied (with customs duty or VAT) will be raised from 200 EUR to 1,000 EUR. Total weight of goods in one lot should not exceed 50 kg.  Let us recall that in the first reading Rada has raised this threshold in ten times – to 2,000 UER (for 30 kg of weight). But this later the State Customs Service of Ukraine asked deputies to set a 500 EUR threshold not to set  favourable conditions for selling of large volume of goods without paying taxes. However, in EU restrictions at the level of 300-450 EUR per person are in force.   

Customs officials have agreed with deputies that the norm of 1,000 EUR will be applied in respect of natural persons who cross the border not more frequently than 1 time a day. In case this norm or frequency of border-crossing are exceed, the customs duties in amount of 10 % of goods value as well as VAT will be levied on these goods.  For international post services and express post services this ceiling value will amount to 300 EUR. That part of goods’ cost which exceeds the aforesaid level will be levied.   

One of the co-authors of amendments to the Code, a member of Committee Oleg Tsarev (the Party of Regions) considers that the raise of the ceiling value will enable to scale back the number of shadow goods import without paying taxes.

Even with the raise of duty-free threshold to 1,000 EUR it is impossible to stop everyday import of goods by people. “They will implement monetary and time constraints but how shall we trace whether a person has crossed the border with goods or without them. A stamp in passport and a registration of transportation vehicle are made, but they do not reflect the availability of goods. Even a hot dispute took place in the course of preparation of this document for the second reading but it didn’t lead to any constructive decision,” – a former official of SCSU explains. Moreover, the restrictions on post services may be also got round if to divide goods into smaller packages and send them separately. The customs workers are not able to check the total volume of packages coming to Ukraine. “The matter is that only a sender and a recipient are aware of their illegal actions. An infringement may not be noticed externally", - he says.

Details – in Distance Selling Digest soon

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