PRESS: Russia may hugely cut duty-free mark for foreign e-order soon

MOSCOW, Jun 19 (PRIME) -- Russia may decrease a duty-free threshold for goods ordered in foreign online stores to 500 euros per month from January 1, 2019 from the current 1,000 euros and to 100 euros per parcel with no monthly restrictions from July 1, 2019, business daily Kommersant reported on Tuesday citing sources.

The scenario is being discussed by the Finance Ministry and the Digital Development Ministry. A federal official said the option to reduce the threshold to 100 euros per parcel from July 1, 2019 is being studied, “as well as a number of others”, but there is no final decision yet.

The country allows citizens to purchase goods without any duties from foreign online stores for up to 1,000 euros with the ultimate weight of 31 kilograms per month. Extra is charged with a 30% fee.

The ministries’ new suggestion contradicts the current draft of the government ruling to decrease the duty-free level to 500 euros per month from July 1 and to 200 euros from January 1, 2019.

A Finance Ministry spokesperson said that the threshold should be changed gradually to avoid any drastic moves for the consumer and load on information systems and employees of Russian Post, national postal operator.

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