Customs and Commercial Goods. How much will customs allow?

Returning from abroad, many people bring purchases with them, and here you need to be especially careful, because if you do not comply with customs legislation, you risk paying a 30% tax on the value or losing them altogether. You need to consider at least 2 points:

1. What is considered a commercial consignment?

Commercial consignment is a batch of goods intended for further resale. Goods for personal use are not considered a commercial consignment.

Goods for personal use - these are goods intended for personal, family, household, and other needs of individuals not related to entrepreneurial activity, moved across the customs border in accompanied or unaccompanied baggage or by other means.

According to the general rule, 5 or more units of the same item are considered a commercial consignment. In practice, this rule is not strictly enforced, but it all depends on what exactly you are carrying. If these are small items, jewelry, phone cases, consumables, etc., you can carry more. However, if you are carrying 5 phones, it is very difficult to prove that they are for personal use. If the contents of your baggage or hand luggage are recognized as a commercial consignment, you will pay customs duty not as an individual, but as a participant in foreign economic activity. On what basis is a decision made to classify cargo as a commercial consignment? Firstly, it is your oral or written statement (customs declaration). If you yourself tell a customs officer that you are carrying commercial cargo (i.e., goods not for personal use), then regardless of its quantity, it will be recognized as commercial. Secondly, depending on the frequency of crossing the border and moving goods across it. If you crossed the border once with 20 phone cases, customs are unlikely to have questions for you, but if you do it every other day, then definitely. Thirdly, on the quantity and nature of the goods. As we wrote above, as a general rule, 5 or more goods of the same name are considered a commercial consignment. In addition, there are certain restrictions on the quantity of personal items imported. Without mandatory declaration, you can import:

• jewelry (in the quantity necessary for use during the trip);
• personal hygiene items (in the quantity necessary for use during temporary stay);
• photo cameras, video cameras, movie cameras (no more than 1 unit) and accessories for them (in the quantity necessary for use during temporary stay);
• mobile phones (no more than 2 units);
• portable personal computers (laptops) (no more than 1 unit) and accessories for them (in the quantity necessary for use during temporary stay);
• portable musical instruments (in the quantity necessary for use during temporary stay).

If the quantity of these items exceeds the established norms, you must go through the red channel and declare them.

2. Limit on value and weight

If you cross the border by air, you can import goods without declaration, the total value of which does not exceed 10,000 euros, and the weight 50 kg.

What customs rates exist for individuals?

The customs rate depends on what exactly and in what quantity you are carrying. Currently, the following rates apply:

• A single rate of 30% of the customs value of the goods, but not less than 4 euros per 1 kg of weight. Everything exceeding 10,000 euros or weighing over 50 kg is subject to payment.
• Aggregate customs payment – in case of import of indivisible goods for personal use. Goods weighing over 35 kg are considered indivisible.