The new charges will kick in across the bloc next month, with Revenue saying they are “designed to ensure fairness for Irish and EU businesses”
Stock image(Image: Alistair Berg/Getty)
Irish online shoppers are set to face a new customs charges on items worth €150 or less that are shipped outside of the European Union from July 1.
The new charges will kick in across the bloc from next month, with Revenue saying they are “designed to ensure fairness for Irish and EU businesses”. At present, many online purchases worth €150 or less can enter the EU duty-free.
This will change from July 1, when a new €3 per item charge will be implemented. This will affect items purchased from outside of the European Union, including the UK.
Here’s everything you need to know:
What are the current rules and what is changing?
The changes affect goods valued at €150 or less purchased from outside the European Union, including Great Britain. These changes will take effect in all Member States, including Ireland, from July 1. Currently, there is no Customs Duty on eCommerce packages entering the EU where the goods, excluding delivery charges, are valued at €150 or less.
From July 1, a new Customs Duty of €3 for each item in a parcel will apply to goods bought online from non-EU countries, including Great Britain. The new changes will result in some online purchases becoming more expensive and will affect the process for returning goods.
Revenue’s example of how the charges will work is as follows: “For example, a package from Asia contains a pen, a notebook and a key ring purchased online. As the package contains three distinct items, each will have a €3 Customs Duty charge, so there will be €9 Customs Duty, plus Value-Added Tax (VAT) due.
“If the package contained two identical pens, these are considered one item and there will be a €3 Customs Duty charge, plus VAT, due.” Revenue said the changes are “designed to ensure fairness for Irish and EU businesses”.
How will the charges be paid?
The €3 Customs Duty per item can be paid in one of two ways, depending on the terms and conditions of the business they are buying from:
Charged at checkout: Some websites will be set up to collect the duty at the point of sale. In this case, the €3 duty will be shown to you and will indicate that the total price you pay at checkout will be the final price, with no extra charges on delivery.Charged on delivery: Other websites may not collect the duty at checkout. If this is the case, the delivery company (for example, your postal service or courier) will require you to pay the €3 duty per item before your goods can be delivered.
Revenue has told customers to check the website’s terms and conditions before completing a purchase to understand how the business selling the goods apply Customs charges.
How does this affect the returns process?
The new changes will impact the process for returning goods purchased from outside the European Union. The Customs Duty is non-refundable, so if you decide to return an item you will not be refunded the €3 charge unless the item is faulty.
How can I identify a website’s location before a purchase?
If your goods are based in Ireland or an EU country at the time of ordering, there is no Customs Duty. Some websites may appear as though they are Irish or EU based. However, even if they use euro prices or a “.ie” domain, it is important to double check whether or not their products are shipped from a non-EU country.
For businesses who do not show Customs Duty on its website, it is vital to check the website’s “Terms and Conditions” and, or “About Us” page to confirm its physical business address and the location from where the goods will be shipped.
Speaking about the new Customs rules, Raphael Ryan, Head of Revenue’s National Customs Policies and Procedures, explained: “Our goal is to ensure consumers are fully informed about these changes before the new rules take effect. We want to help people avoid unexpected costs and make informed decisions when shopping online.
“We urge everyone who shops online to take a moment to check where their goods are coming from before they buy so that they know if there is Duty to be paid before the goods are delivered.”
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