Türkiye has retained preferential customs treatment for eligible low-value e-commerce shipments to the European Union, giving its online exporters an advantage under the bloc’s new import regulations.
Following discussions between Ankara and the European Commission, goods in free circulation in Türkiye can continue to receive preferential treatment when exported to the EU, provided they are accompanied by an A. TR Movement Certificate under the H1 customs declaration procedure, according to Türkiye’s Trade Ministry.
On July 1, the EU abolished the customs duty exemption for e-commerce shipments worth €150 or less from non-EU countries and introduced a temporary €3 duty per item. The measure is scheduled to remain in effect until July 1, 2028.
The ministry has also launched an electronic system that automatically issues A.TR certificates using data from simplified customs declarations for eligible parcels shipped through authorized express cargo firms and postal services.
Türkiye Trade Minister Ömer Bolat said the system aims to uphold the core principles of the Türkiye-EU Customs Union in cross-border e-commerce.
Emre Ekmekçi, deputy chairman of the Electronic Commerce Operators Association (ETİD), called the arrangement a significant opportunity for Türkiye. He estimated that the country’s e-exports to the EU, currently worth around $2 billion, could grow to $20 billion by leveraging the Customs Union advantage.
Changes to the rules could open additional export opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises, he added.
E-exports now account for about one-quarter of the sector’s traditional exports, while the EU represents roughly half of its conventional overseas sales.
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