Changes are regulated by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated February 11, 2016 No. 40, which amended the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of July 21, 2014 No. 360 “On the movement of goods for personal use across the customs border of the Customs Union in the Republic of Belarus.”
Who will have to pay the fee?
A citizen who, within one month, has received a parcel or several, the total value of which exceeds 22 euros and/or total weight exceeds 10 kg. These limits do not apply ethyl alcohol, alcoholic drinks, beer - sending them by mail, as before, is prohibited.
Those who travel abroad more than once every three months and, upon returning to Belarus, import goods whose total cost exceeds 300 euros and/or whose total weight exceeds 20 kg will also have to pay. According to statistics from Belstat and the State Customs Committee, in 2015, only 30% of citizens entering Belarus declared goods worth over 300 euros, which means that the majority, even after the entry into force Decree No. 40 You most likely won't have to pay anything.
The quantity of goods imported or received by mail from abroad does not play any role; customs pays attention to the total value and total weight. If we are talking about a parcel, delivery charges are not included in the customs cost.
How is the cost of a product and the date of its receipt determined when sent by mail?
The customs value is calculated based on the amount indicated by the sender on the envelope. If it is not indicated or its reliability is in doubt, then, as explained by the press service of the State Customs Committee, the cost estimate is given directly at customs. For example, they use catalogs that contain similar products with prices.
The date of receipt of the parcel is not the day when you decided to pick up the parcel at the post office, but the day when the parcel was in temporary storage at customs.
Be careful: if you ordered a parcel before April 14, 2016, but it arrived at the Belarusian customs after this date, that is, from the date of Decree No. 40, and it costs more than 22 euros or weighs more than 10 kg, you will have to pay a duty. Decree No. 40 comes into force only two months after the official publication - so that citizens who previously ordered parcels more than 22 euros or heavier than 10 kg have time to receive them before the new limits come into effect and do not pay a fee.
What exceptions to the payment of duties are provided for the import of goods?
If you are traveling by plane, you do not need to pay duty on purchased goods, even if they do not fit within the limit - it is believed that the risk of importing goods in this case is minimal.
Used goods previously exported from the country are not subject to duty: if you take a phone, camera, laptop and other things with you when traveling abroad, you will not be required to pay duty when returning home.
Also, those who move to Belarus for permanent residence and refugees do not pay the duty upon presentation of the relevant documents when entering goods in accompanied luggage. If there are no such documents, the goods can be stored at the place of residence and the documents can be provided later, within 60 days from the date of registration of the documents.
Do I need to pay duty on goods if they are not purchased but received as a gift?
The norms of Decree No. 40 apply to all goods imported into Belarus for personal use; accordingly, gifts received by mail or imported from abroad will also have to pay a duty if the price and weight limits are exceeded:
“Otherwise, everyone will say that this or that product was not a purchase, but was received as a gift,” explained the press service of the State Customs Committee.
How is the duty calculated and paid?
For exceeding the limits you will have to pay 30% of the cost of the goods, but not less than 4 euros for each kilogram. The duty is calculated not on the entire cost of the goods, but on the portion that exceeds the limit. For example, when receiving a parcel worth 50 euros, a 30% duty will be calculated on the excess of 28 euros (50 euros cost of the goods minus 22 euros limit).
When importing goods, duty is paid at the border. If they are received by international mail, an invoice for payment of the duty will be issued directly at the post office upon receipt of the parcel.
Why have the limits on goods from abroad been reduced so significantly?
– The reason for taking measures to reduce the limits was a significant increase in the volume of import of goods on a commercial scale to individuals without paying customs duties. The decree was adopted in order to create a barrier to the movement of commercial consignments of goods by individuals, the press service of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Belarus reported.
According to statistics from the State Customs Committee, over the past three years the number of parcels from abroad has increased sixfold. In 2013, Belarusians received 1.9 million foreign parcels, in 2014 – about 6.3 million, in 2015 – already 11.8 million. At the same time, only 10% of Belarusians receive parcels from abroad.
Number of impressions: 1904
“On the movement of goods for personal use across the customs border of the Customs Union in the Republic of Belarus” (National Legal Internet Portal of the Republic of Belarus, July 24, 2014, 1/15183) the following changes and additions:
1.1. in the title and preamble, the words “Customs Union” should be replaced with the words “Eurasian Economic Union”;
1.2. in point 1:
in subclause 1.1:
in part one:
the words “or”, “200 euros” and “31 kilograms” should be replaced by the words “and (or)”, “22 euros” and “10 kilograms”, respectively;
after the words “such goods” and “total weight”, add the words “in the aggregate”;
in subclause 1.2 the words “Customs Union” should be replaced with the words “Eurasian Economic Union”;
in subclause 1.3, the words “a member state of the Customs Union” should be replaced with the words “a member state of the Eurasian Economic Union”;
Subclause 1.5 should be stated as follows:
"1.5. There is no requirement to provide security for payment of customs duties and taxes in relation to:
goods for personal use transported across the customs border of the Eurasian Economic Union in the Republic of Belarus in accompanied luggage, to individuals moving for permanent residence to the Republic of Belarus, as well as individuals who have been granted refugee status in the Republic of Belarus, when placing such goods in cases , determined by the customs legislation of the Customs Union, under the customs procedure of customs transit, subject to submission an individual relocating to a permanent place of residence in the Republic of Belarus, to the customs authority where goods are released for the purpose of placing under this customs procedure, documents confirming the resettlement or indicating the intention of an individual to move to a permanent place of residence in the Republic of Belarus, named in subparagraphs 4.1 and 4.3 paragraph 4 of the appendix to this Decree, or subject to the submission by an individual who has been granted refugee status in the Republic of Belarus to the specified customs authority of the document named in subparagraph 4.2 of paragraph 4 of the appendix to this Decree;
vehicles for personal use, registered on the territory of foreign states, temporarily imported into the Republic of Belarus by diplomatic workers and administrative and technical staff of diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Republic of Belarus and members of their families living with them, as well as employees of missions government organizations, subordinate to the Government of the Republic of Belarus and located outside the customs territory of the Eurasian Economic Union;”;
in paragraphs three and four of subclause 1.9, replace the words “Customs Union” with the words “Eurasian Economic Union”;
in subclause 1.10:
in part one:
in paragraph one, replace the words “Customs Union” with the words “Eurasian Economic Union”;
in paragraphs two and three, replace the words “territory of the Customs Union” with the words “territory of the Eurasian Economic Union” in the appropriate case;
in part two, replace the words “border of the Customs Union” with the words “border of the Eurasian Economic Union”;
in subclause 1.15 the words “border of the Customs Union” should be replaced with the words “border of the Eurasian Economic Union”;
in subclause 1.16, the words “territories of the Customs Union” should be replaced with the words “territories of the Eurasian Economic Union”;
add subclause 1.18 as follows:
"1.18. goods for personal use do not include goods imported across the customs border of the Eurasian Economic Union in the Republic of Belarus by individuals in accompanied and unaccompanied luggage more than once every three calendar months, if the customs value of such goods exceeds an amount equivalent to 300 euros, and (or) total weight exceeds 20 kilograms.
Part one of this subclause does not apply to:
goods imported by air, as well as imported with exemption from customs duties in accordance with Chapter 45 of the Customs Code of the Customs Union, paragraphs 2–6, part one of paragraph 7, paragraphs 8–10 of Appendix 3 to the Agreement on the procedure for the movement by individuals of goods for personal use across the customs border Customs Union and customs operations related to their release, dated June 18, 2010 and other international treaties of the Republic of Belarus;
used goods imported back in unchanged condition, except for changes due to natural wear and tear or natural loss under normal conditions of transportation (shipment), storage and (or) use (operation), without confirmation of their export outside the customs territory of the Eurasian Economic Union, customs the cost and total weight of which do not exceed the cost and weight (quantitative) norms established in paragraph 1 of Annex 3 to the Agreement on the procedure for the movement by individuals of goods for personal use across the customs border of the Customs Union and the performance of customs operations related to their release, dated June 18 2010.
The goods specified in part one of this subparagraph are subject to customs declaration.”;
1.3. in subclause 4.4, paragraph one of subclause 4.6, paragraphs one and three of subclause 4.8 of clause 4 of the appendix to this Decree, replace the words “Customs Union” with the words “Eurasian Economic Union”;
1.4. paragraph three of subclause 4.8 of clause 4 of the appendix to this Decree after the word “other” should be supplemented with the words “documents and information determined by the State Customs Committee.”
2. The Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus, within two months, take measures to implement this Decree.
3. The State Customs Committee should ensure widespread information to citizens through the media about the measures provided for by this Decree.
4. This Decree comes into force in the following order:
paragraph 1 – two months after the official publication of this Decree;
other provisions of this Decree - after its official publication.
Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated February 11, 2016 No. 40 introduced amendments and additions to Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated July 21, 2014 No. 360 “On the movement of goods for personal use across the customs border of the Customs Union in the Republic of Belarus” (hereinafter referred to as Decree No. 360), which will take effect from 04/14/2016.
Standards for duty-free import (receipt) by individuals located on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, goods for personal use(except for alcoholic beverages, etc.), delivered to an individual in international mail(hereinafter referred to as parcels) and (or) the carrier(hereinafter referred to as express cargo) will change. Thus, without paying a duty, it will be possible to receive goods within a calendar month if their total customs value is no more than the equivalent of 22 euros (now 200 euros), and the total weight in the aggregate is no more than 10 kg (now 31 kg ) (part 1 subsection 1.1 clause 1 of Decree No. 360 as amended on 02/11/2016, part 1 subsection 1.1 of Decree No. 360 as amended on 07/21/2014).
In this case, the amount and weight for calculating the norm will include:
Both goods received by parcels (in one or more) and goods imported by express cargo (in one or more deliveries) - if the goods were received (imported) in two ways;
Only goods received (imported) either by parcels or express cargo - if the goods were received (imported) by one of the specified methods.
In case of exceeding the prescribed amount and (or) weight, an individual will have to pay customs duties and taxes (hereinafter referred to as duties) at a flat rate of 30% of the customs value of goods, but not less than 4 euros per 1 kg of weight. This rule will apply both in the case when both indicators (cost and weight) are exceeded, and in the case when one of them is exceeded. A duty will need to be paid for the import (reception) of goods exceeding the above standards.
Payment of the duty in the specified amount is provided for in clause 6 of section. II and paragraph 8 of section. III of Appendix 5 to the Agreement on the procedure for the movement by individuals of goods for personal use across the customs border of the Customs Union and the performance of customs operations related to their release (concluded in St. Petersburg on June 18, 2010) (hereinafter referred to as the Agreement). At the same time, guided by the footnote to the Agreement, the Republic of Belarus has established more stringent standards for the import of goods for personal use, if exceeded, duties are paid. Such norms are enshrined in subparagraph. 1.1 clause 1 of Decree No. 360 as amended. from 07/21/2014 and, as we indicated above, will change from 04/14/2016.
If, for example, during a calendar month a person receives goods for personal use by parcel in the amount of 15 euros and by express cargo in the amount of 20 euros, he will have to pay a duty of 30% of the amount equivalent to 13 euros (amount exceeding 22 euros) . Duty will have to be paid regardless of the weight of the goods received.
The same procedure will apply if goods for the specified amount are received only by parcels or only by express cargo (part 1, sub-clause 1.1, clause 1 of Decree No. 360 as amended on 02/11/2016, clause 6 of section II and clause 8 of section III of appendix 5 to the Agreement).
Innovations affected not only the import of goods by parcels and express cargo, but also importation of goods directly by individuals in accompanied or unaccompanied baggage.
So, to goods for personal use regardless of the name will not apply goods imported by individuals across the customs border of the EAEU in the Republic of Belarus, if they are imported by a person more than once every 3 calendar months, and their customs value exceeds the equivalent of 300 euros, and (or) the total weight is more than 20 kg (h. 1 subparagraph 1.18 paragraph 1 of Decree No. 360 as amended on February 11, 2016).
An exception to this rule will be, for example, used goods exported outside the customs territory of the EAEU and imported back unchanged without confirmation of their export. Moreover, the customs value of these goods should not exceed the equivalent of 1,500 euros, and the total weight - 50 kg (Part 2 subclause 1.18 clause 1 of Decree No. 360 as amended on 02/11/2016).
Let us note that now goods imported by individuals not for personal use, regardless of cost, include goods of specific names (for example, mechanical circular saws) specified in Appendix 1 to the Agreement.
Let us remind you that, as a general rule, goods for personal use in accompanied and unaccompanied baggage for an amount equivalent to 1500 euros and (or) a total weight of 50 kg are imported without paying duty (clause 1, section I of Annex 3, clause 1, section I Annex 5 to the Agreement). This rule will continue to apply, but taking into account subsection. 1.18 clause 1 of Decree No. 360 as amended. dated 02/11/2016.
The specified goods, which are not related to goods for personal use, will be subject to customs declaration in customs procedures (part 3, subparagraph 1.18, paragraph 1 of Decree No. 360 as amended on 02/11/2016).
Minsk, February 11. Presidential Decree No. 40 of February 11 sharply limited duty-free import of international parcels.
The document, information about which is posted on the National Legal Internet Portal, amends Decree No. 360 of July 21, 2014 “On the movement of goods for personal use across the customs border of the Customs Union in the Republic of Belarus.”
“It has been established that customs duties are not paid in respect of goods for personal use sent in international mail during a calendar month to the address of one individual located in the territory of the republic, and (or) or imported into the territory of the country during a calendar month to the address of one recipient as goods delivered by the carrier, if the customs value of such goods in the aggregate does not exceed an amount equivalent to 22 euros, and the total weight in the aggregate does not exceed 10 kilograms (previously 200 euros and 31 kilograms, respectively),” the message says.
The decree comes into force two months after its official publication.
On November 23, 2015, Chairman of the Council of the Republic Mikhail Myasnikovich, at a meeting of the monitoring group to consider draft decrees and laws in the upper house, said that Belarus would insist on imposing VAT on parcels from abroad, which, according to him, “collapsed trade and created problems for industry".
On November 24, the issue of taxation of purchases in foreign online stores was discussed in Moscow at a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Commission, but some representatives of the EAEU member countries did not support the decision to limit duty-free online trade. This issue will be discussed in the future, said then First Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia Alexey Likhachev.
On December 14, Deputy Minister of Trade of Belarus Irina Narkevich emphasized that the decision to introduce a tax on purchases in foreign online stores should be balanced.
On January 26, 2016, Chairman of the State Customs Committee Yuri Senko said at a press conference that the customs service does not consider it necessary to introduce restrictions on the import of parcels from abroad for personal use. “The State Customs Committee sets the task of not losing control over the volume of international shipments that go to Belarusian consumers. As for goods for personal use, there are no questions here. This is indeed a very convenient way to purchase goods without the need to travel abroad. We react only for commercial consignments of goods that are trying to be imported under the guise of personal property. We have our own risk analysis and management system, software to consider the frequency of import by the same person of certain goods, when it is clear that they are clearly not imported for personal use,” Senko noted.
According to him, the number of parcels with goods from abroad almost doubled in 2015. “The number of imported international postal items (IPO) is growing every year. In 2013, 1.9 million IPO with commodity investments arrived in Belarus, in 2014 - 6.3 million, in 2015 - 11.8 million. Main a portion of them are items purchased by individuals in online stores in China, Hong Kong, and the USA,” said the head of the State Customs Committee.
11:36 / 14.04.2016
On April 14, 2016, Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated February 11, 2016 No. 40 entered into force, which amends and supplements the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 360 dated July 21, 2014 “On the movement of goods for personal use across the customs border of the Customs Union in the Republic of Belarus”. use."Provisions normative act determine the features of the movement by individuals of goods for personal use, including those sent by international mail and delivered by carriers. New standards have been adopted to prevent citizens from moving commercial consignments of goods.
Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Belarus Vladimir Nikolaevich Orlovsky told reporters about what has changed in connection with the issuance of the decree.
Parcels from abroad
– According to the innovations in Belarus, during a calendar month, without paying duties and taxes, it will be possible to receive postal items worth up to 22 euros and weighing up to 10 kilograms. For goods that exceed the specified standards, customs duties and taxes will be charged at the previously existing rate of 30% of the cost, but not less than 4 euros per kilogram. It will also be necessary to pay a customs fee of 5 euros,” noted Vladimir Nikolaevich.
For example, when receiving a parcel worth 50 euros and weighing 2 kilograms, customs duties and taxes will be calculated according to the following scheme: (50-22)*30%=8.4 euros+5 euros (customs duty).
For reference: for the period from 2013-2015. the volume of imported international postal items increased more than 6 times: in 2013, 1.9 million postal items were imported, in 2014 – 6.3 million, in 2015 – 11.8 million. Moreover, about 90% of residents of Belarus do not receive international mail. More than 250 thousand citizens receive from 10 to 100 international
parcels per year. On average, one recipient receives about 10 international mail items, and about 15 to one address.
Goods for personal use... How much do we carry?
– The decree clarifies the approaches to determining the purpose of goods. Goods transported across the border more than once every three calendar months for an amount exceeding 300 euros and (or) weighing more than 20 kilograms will not be classified as goods for personal use. At the same time, the norms for duty-free import of goods for personal use of 1,500 euros and 50 kilograms continue to apply, said Vladimir Nikolaevich Orlovsky, Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Belarus
He also explained that the provisions of Decree No. 40 do not apply to goods imported by air, exported earlier and imported back by individuals, imported by employees of diplomatic missions and employees of consular offices and other international organizations, goods received as an inheritance, as well as those imported when moving to a permanent place of residence in Belarus. In addition, the rules do not apply to used goods that were previously exported outside the customs territory and imported back unchanged without documentary evidence of their export, for example, Cell phones, laptops, etc., if their cost does not exceed 1.5 thousand euros and 50 kg.
For reference: According to the results of a survey of road checkpoints on the border of the Republic of Belarus, conducted by the National Statistical Committee and the State Customs Committee in 2015, over 70% of citizens entering the Republic of Belarus indicated the amount of expenses when traveling abroad up to 300 euros.
We declare expensive items
If a citizen exports from Belarus a used product worth more than 1.5 thousand euros or weighing more than 50 kg, which he subsequently plans to import back, then it must be declared upon departure.
“Advice to citizens: if something expensive is being exported, it is better to declare it,” suggested Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee Vladimir Nikolaevich Orlovsky. – Upon return entry, no matter how much your equipment costs, if you have a declaration, we will let such goods through without paying customs duties. If we talk about the import of undeclared expensive equipment, then customs officers will have questions.
Frequency of movement of goods across borders
– When developing approaches to practical application norms of Decree No. 40, the interests of citizens are taken into account as much as possible. In particular, it has been determined that the date from which the frequency of movement of goods will be taken into account is April 14, that is, the day the decree enters into force, and no more early date, as individual citizens feared,” noted Vladimir Nikolaevich Orlovsky, Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Belarus. – If an individual imports goods, for example, on April 25, the cost and weight characteristics of classifying goods as goods for personal use (300 euros and 20 kg) will be applied for their subsequent import until July 1, 2016. And if goods are imported, for example, on May 8, then the corresponding limits will be applied for their subsequent import until August 1.
He also noted that the population had enough time to adapt to innovations. Therefore, the situation at the border is calm.
Call centers
In connection with the entry into force of Decree No. 40, call centers are operating at the State Customs Committee and at customs offices, by calling which you can get answers to questions about the application of the decree, explained Vladimir Nikolaevich.
The State Customs Committee call center will accept calls from Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 18.00 by phone: 218-90-72, 218-90-81, 218-90-82, 218-91-20, 218-90-95. You can call 218-90-00 for advice 24 hours a day. Contact phone numbers of customs call centers are posted on their official websites.
Prepared by Elena YAROSHEVICH.
