You will need to pay 5% instead of 15% for exceeding the duty-free limit
11 August 2026
Good news for everyone who regularly orders goods from American stores. In the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union, which includes Russia, a new regulatory regime for international e-commerce will take effect on January 1, 2027. The main change is that the customs duty rate on imported purchases will be reduced by three times. The new rules were officially announced by the Eurasian Economic Commission.
Key provisions of the new rules
Below are the key points you need to know when planning foreign purchases in 2027.
Duty-free threshold. It will remain at the current level — 200 euros per purchase. All parcels cheaper than this amount are exempt from customs duties. The threshold is fixed for at least two years, with the possibility of adjustment in the future.
Duty rate. It will be reduced from 15% to 5% of the excess value over the duty-free threshold. The minimum rate is 1 euro per kilogram of parcel weight.
Abolition of the weight limit. The current limit of 31 kilograms per parcel for personal use is being abolished under the new foreign e-commerce regime.
Declaration processing. Interaction with customs authorities is handled by e-commerce operators. Buyers will not need to file paperwork on their own.
How this will work in practice
Let's look at a real-life scenario. A customer orders a smartphone from an American online store at a price of 800 euros. The amount exceeding the duty-free threshold is 600 euros.
Duty calculation under current rules: 15% of 600 euros = 90 euros. Duty calculation under the new rules from 2027: 5% of 600 euros = 30 euros. The total savings on customs duty alone is 60 euros.
For less expensive items, the savings are more modest, but still noticeable. A jacket for 300 euros: the duty is currently 15 euros, from 2027 it will be 5 euros. A difference of 10 euros on a single purchase.
When exactly the new rules take effect
The official launch date is January 1, 2027. However, the document coming into force depends on the completion of ratification procedures in all EAEU member countries.
At the moment, the protocol has been ratified by Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan. In Russia, the process is not yet complete — the final signing of the document is pending.
What this means for Pochtoy.com shoppers
If you order expensive items from US stores — branded electronics, Apple gadgets, quality shoes, and apparel — the reduction in duty will directly affect the final cost. The difference is especially noticeable when purchasing smartphones, laptops, cameras, and other high-value categories.
The abolition of the 31 kg weight limit makes it profitable to purchase bulky items and order a large number of products at the same time. All parcels are collected at our US warehouse and can be shipped to Russia as a single consolidated package.
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