Finland will introduce new customs duties on low‑cost online purchases from non-EU countries starting in July, as part of broader European Union measures to manage the rising influx of low-cost imports, according to public broadcaster Yle on Monday.
According to Finnish Customs, a new €3 ($3.4) customs fee will be imposed on low-value goods ordered by private individuals from countries outside the EU, including items purchased via online platforms such as Temu.
The report stated that the fee will be levied on each individual item listed in a customs declaration, rather than on the parcel as a whole.
“For example, if a shipment contains three shirts and dozens of pairs of socks, the shirts would be declared as one item and the socks as another, meaning the customs fee would total six euros,” Finland Senior Customs Inspector Antti Hastbacka said.
Authorities also confirmed that customs duties will be extended to purchases valued at less than €150, which are currently exempt under existing regulations. Officials also stated that an additional processing fee will be introduced in November as part of wider EU customs reforms aimed at addressing the sharp increase in low-cost imports from countries outside the bloc.
The new processing fee will apply to all online purchases shipped from non-EU countries, regardless of their value, and will be collected during customs clearance procedures.
Authorities noted that the measures are part of broader EU initiatives intended to address environmental and consumer protection concerns associated with the growing volume of low-cost imports, particularly from Asian e-commerce platforms.
The measures are anticipated to impact consumers who regularly purchase low‑cost products from overseas e‑commerce platforms.
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