From April 14, 2016, the norms for duty-free receipt of goods by post have changed in the Republic of Belarus. Without paying customs duties, one person is allowed to receive property worth no more than 22 euros and weighing up to 10 kilograms. Parcels that do not fit within the established limit are not prohibited, however, the amount exceeding the permissible norms is subject to customs duty, in addition, payment of a fixed customs fee becomes mandatory.

The above restrictions are established in Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 40 dated February 11, 2016.

Payments for parcels to individuals exceeding the established standards are paid in the same way as commercial consignments of goods. Currently, the customs duty is (in most cases) 30% of the cost, but not less than 4 euros per 1 kg of weight in terms of excess of cost and (or) weight standards. The amount of customs duty depends on the type of product, for example, for a telephone you will have to pay 5 euros.

The calculation mechanism can be visualized as a simple arithmetic problem:

• Parcel cost: 100 euros;
• Amount exceeding the limit: 100 - 22 = 78 euros;
• 30% of 78 euros = 23.4 euros;
• Customs duty - 5 euros;
• Total: 23.4 + 5 = 28.4 euros.

In case of exceeding the limit in weight, but not in value, the calculation is even simpler: 4 euros for each kilogram in excess of 10 allowed.

The recipient of the parcel will be able to learn about accrued customs duties from the telecom operator. You can also pay them at the post office upon receipt of the goods.

Limits and duties on parcels are usually considered as a kind of protective measures to protect the domestic market from cheaper imported goods, as well as a way of taxing citizens who purchase commercial quantities of goods under the guise of things for personal use. All imposed restrictions are aimed mainly against online stores in non-CIS countries. However, officially all parcels from abroad are in the same position, i.e. even gifts from foreign relatives may be subject to duties and fees.

It is worth warning here that deliberately underestimating the cost of a parcel becomes, at the very least, a thankless task. Customs authorities have sufficient information about the price range of most common goods

The opinion that mail from abroad harms the domestic economy and contributes to illegal enrichment was expressed by Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich, several months before the signing of Decree No. 40. Such statements have met with much criticism. In particular, it was stated that 80 - 90% of Belarusians do not receive parcels from abroad. That a significant portion of imported goods arriving by mail are not produced in the Republic. And finally, they reminded us of the “transparency” of internal borders Customs Union. Thanks to this, recipients of commercial consignments of goods or simply expensive parcels can order them to an address in Russia or another country of the Customs Union (where the cost limits are hundreds of times higher) and pay for shipping services to Belarus. No increase in revenue due to the new rules has yet been reported. According to online surveys, the majority of respondents intend to refuse expensive parcels from abroad. This does not guarantee a commensurate increase in budget revenues, but it is certainly unpleasant for domestic buyers.

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The EAEU proposes a gradual equalization of limits on goods for personal use sent in international mail and express cargo. Deputy Minister of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade Irina Narkevich announced this on June 8 at a round table on electronic commerce.

Aligning the limits is a matter of discussion by the Eurasian Economic Commission, Irina Narkevich clarified.

Previously, the site stated that the EEC proposes to reduce the limits on international mail from abroad to the territory of the EAEU. It is proposed to reduce the norms to 500 euros and 31 kilograms from January 1, 2019. calendar month to one individual, from January 1, 2020 - up to 200 euros and 31 kilograms.

According to Irina Narkevich, the introduction of limits up to 200 euros is a premature decision today.

“We consider this issue, having discussed it with the business community, including large Internet platforms and the Internet association, and representatives of domestic enterprises, to be premature,” said Irina Narkevich.

Let us remind you that the limits on parcels from abroad and from abroad were on April 14, 2016. The reason for tightening the limits on duty-free import of goods was a significant increase in the volume of import of goods on a commercial scale to individuals without paying customs duties. Over the past year, Belarusians received 12.7 million international postal items, and only 1% of them, according to the State Customs Committee, exceeded the limit of 22 euros. For exceeding the limits, Belarusians received 2.4 million rubles last year.

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In Belarus, the threshold for duty-free import of goods in international mail will remain the same for now - no more than 22 euros and 10 kg per month.

“No changes to the limit on international parcels are expected in Belarus in the near future”, - the head of the organization’s department said at a press conference on January 25 in Minsk customs control State Customs Committee Dmitry Kovalenok.

“At the same time, agreements in principle to reduce the limit of this norm in Russia and Kazakhstan have already been fixed and will soon be published on the website of the Eurasian Economic Commission. As for the Republic of Belarus, no changes are expected in the near future, but again, as soon as the decision of the EEC Council comes into force, we will have the opportunity to subsequently revise the norm", - said the representative of the State Customs Committee.

At the same time, he noted that the situation that existed at the time the decision was made several years ago to reduce the limit on parcels to 22 euros “hasn’t changed fundamentally.”

“That is, the volume of parcels has not stopped. If in 2015 about 6.5 million parcels arrived in Belarus, the trend of constant growth continues. But here it is important to note that the trend of importing mass quantities of goods has stopped. For example, in 2015, about 400 people in Belarus received more than a hundred parcels per year. That is, what kind of import of goods for personal use can we talk about? Now this figure is six times less, and we constantly monitor such people; they are under the control of both customs and tax authorities.”, - said Kovalenok.

In addition, the representative of the State Customs Committee continued, as soon as the standard of 22 euros for parcels from abroad was introduced, cash receipts increased. Thus, in 2017, the treasury of Belarus received about 3.7 million rubles from individuals.

“Comparing 11 million parcels and 3.7 million payments, it turns out that each parcel brought in about 33 kopecks”, he noted.

The leadership of the State Customs Committee cannot yet answer unequivocally when and whether the current norm for parcels from abroad will be revised in Belarus in accordance with latest decisions adopted within the EAEU. Customs officers indicate that a decision on this issue should be made at a higher level, taking into account the opinions of all interested ministries and departments.

“In general, we need to look at how this will affect the economy of our country. The task of the State Customs Committee is to show commercial consignments of goods, we can cope with this"- said the head of the State Customs Committee Yuri Senko.

In 2016, Belarus significantly reduced the limit on duty-free parcels from abroad. Now Belarusians have to pay customs duties if the cost of the ordered goods exceeds 22 euros and weighs more than 10 kilograms. If the limit is exceeded, the addressee will pay 30% of the excess amount (but not less than 4 euros per kg), as well as a customs fee of 5 euros. Previously, in Belarus the limit on parcels for personal use was 200 euros and 31 kilograms per month.

At the end of 2017, the EAEU approved the concept of a gradual reduction customs limits, which includes goods that are delivered to the buyer from abroad through international mail or by a carrier, including purchases in foreign online stores.

In particular, within three years, the EAEU countries must adopt uniform limits on the maximum value and weight of parcels from abroad. If the decision is made, Russia and Kazakhstan will lower their limits from 1,000 euros to 200, and Belarus could raise them from 22 to 200.

According to the decision, from January 1, 2018, a limit of 1,000 euros and 31 kg per calendar month is expected to be established. From January 1, 2019, for one calendar month, without paying customs duties and taxes, it will be possible to order goods totaling up to 500 euros and weighing no more than 31 kg. In addition, all restrictions on time and number of orders will be lifted.

At the same time, countries may introduce additional restrictions that reduce import standards.