Ukraine Eyes End to €150 Tax-Free Threshold for All International Parcels

Proposed Legal Shifts for Cross-Border Postal Shipments

According to Главком: Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, is set to review draft laws that would eliminate the current €150 duty-free allowance on goods purchased from foreign online retailers. Under the proposed changes, a 20% value-added tax (VAT) and a 10% customs duty would apply to all incoming parcels. Specifically, bills No. 15112 and No. 12360 target the removal of the preferential threshold for business-to-consumer (B2C) shipments from international e-commerce platforms. For person-to-person (C2C) parcels, a tax-free minimum of €45 would be introduced.

If adopted, these new rules could significantly reshape how international deliveries are processed. Notably, C2C shipments account for roughly one-third of all parcels arriving from abroad. The proposed adjustments would cut the duty-free limit for private consignments by nearly two-thirds. However, the draft legislation lacks a clear mechanism to distinguish C2C parcels valued under €45, which could create added complexity for postal operators.

Impacts on Postal Carriers and the Market

Postal operators would need to sort every international parcel to separate B2C and C2C categories. This additional operational burden could lead to delivery delays and force a overhaul of existing processing workflows.

On May 22, 2026, a roundtable discussion took place where representatives from retail companies voiced their support for fully taxing international postal shipments.

Ukraine’s national postal service, Ukrposhta, also backed the taxation plan during that roundtable, despite having previously strongly opposed such changes.

These legislative developments could have a profound effect on Ukraine’s cross-border parcel market, warranting careful deliberation and debate. Should the new rules pass, businesses and consumers alike must prepare for shifts in shipping costs and processes, potentially driving up prices for certain product categories and altering consumer behavior.

As these proposed changes to the tax-free threshold unfold, they come at a time when Ukraine's postal service is also adapting to new economic conditions. Recently, Ukrposhta linked its shipping rates to fuel prices, reflecting broader shifts in the logistics landscape. This concurrent evolution highlights the increasing complexities that both consumers and postal operators will face in a rapidly changing environment.