Online platforms, not buyers in Cyprus, will pay duties on parcels from outside the EU

On 3 September, the Council of the EU approved a reform of customs legislation that the Cyprus Department of Customs called the most wide-ranging in recent decades. For buyers in Cyprus, the main change is that online shops outside the EU will handle customs formalities and pay duties on parcels themselves, rather than the recipients.

Online marketplaces registered outside the EU will be granted importer status and will be responsible for paying duties on every parcel they send. Violations of the rules may result in fines of up to 6% of the annual value of imported goods, the withdrawal of simplified procedures and restricted access to the EU market.

A separate handling fee for small parcels is also being introduced: it must come into effect by 1 November 2026, while its amount will be set by the European Commission.

The Department of Customs previously explained that the duty exemption for consignments worth less than €150 is no longer in effect. A temporary charge currently applies — €3 for each category of goods in a parcel, plus VAT: for example, a parcel containing a blouse, earrings and a key ring will incur €9 in duties, while several identical items are considered one category.

The reform also creates a new body — the European Union Customs Authority (EUCA), headquartered in Lille, which is expected to begin operating in 2027. A category of trusted importers is also being introduced, for whom procedures will be simplified.

A single information hub through which customs data will pass will become mandatory for e-commerce companies from 1 July 2028, and for all other participants in international trade from 1 March 2034.