The EAEU has maintained the higher duty-free threshold for personal imports at 1,000 euros, extending the policy until 1 April 2024. This extension was decided by the EEC Council, as reported by Interfax through coverage of statements from Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk.
In discussions at the EEC Council, the decision was confirmed to keep the 1,000-euro duty-free limit for online shopping and e-commerce shipments in effect until April 1, 2024. The move reflects ongoing support from Russia for maintaining the elevated threshold, a policy change that was first introduced in March 2022 when the limit rose from 200 euros to 1,000 euros. In April of that year, the higher limit was extended to Russia, Belarus, and other EAEU member states, aligning cross-border consumer goods rules within the union.
When the declared value or total weight of goods exceeds 31 kilograms, a tax is levied at 15 percent of the cost, with a minimum charge of 2 euros for each kilogram. These tax rules were initially set to sunset on 1 October 2023, but with the current decision the higher threshold will remain in place at least through the spring of 2024. This extension is designed to allow EAEU residents to continue ordering a wider range of products without incurring duties, supporting consumer access and the functioning of regional e-commerce networks.
On the policy side, the Russian government has continued to explore financing infrastructure through duties collected via marketplaces, a plan framed as supporting the Russian Post. Major marketplace operators have publicly rejected this approach and have even started to propose alternative arrangements of their own. The debate highlights tensions between government revenue mechanisms and private sector business models in the post and parcel ecosystem, especially as cross-border commerce grows among EAEU and neighboring markets.
Past discussions in Russia also touched on reducing the duty-free limit for purchases made online from abroad. While such proposals have circulated, the current stance emphasizes preserving the raised threshold for the time being, indicating a preference for maintaining smoother consumer access to cross-border goods while policy makers assess longer-term impacts on revenue, logistics, and domestic retail competition.