New taxes, also for “gifts” from abroad: the customs chief explains what you need to know

Although they had promised to put everything in order by eleven in the morning, customs could not start until the second afternoon.

“It is a long time, but you have to admit that our fellow Estonians, with whom we are trying to align ourselves, have shut down the systems for fifteen hours, and we have only had an hour and a half,” said D.Žvironas. the Director General of Customs.

– Was it possible to delay the system startup to avoid errors?

– These European decisions, launched on July 1, are our commitment as members of the European Union. We had to start now. We did so.

Due to the delay of several hours, it was possible to submit the documents in writing. Some carriers have taken advantage of this, especially those that ship express.

Carriers are already connecting to the system. Only isolated faults due to synchronized systems are logged.

– How to get an EORI code?

– This is a type of identification number that must be provided to customs through personal accounts when requesting a shipment. A user who registers through the Shared User Administration Portal (BAP) is authenticated. It is also empowered to perform functions in other customs information systems.

The instructions for use take up more than a dozen pages. However, bureaucracy is an integral part of all institutions. And the procedures of each institution are described in detail.

Yes, perhaps sometimes in too much detail, but the average user will be able to do this easily by connecting to the system.

So far, we have 1,700 EORI codes issued in June registered, 76 were issued on the last day, most of them intended for individuals.

There will be no reservations for previously shipped shipments.

Procedures will not be shortened, but more information will be available. Part of it will be used to manage the taxes collected. There will also be no physical inspection or physical delay.

I think the first two months will be a more difficult period. One of the reasons for this is that shipments sent before July in the order above will reach Lithuania. Consequently, those who have received them must, from now on, formalize all the procedures in accordance with the new procedures.

We are preparing for a wave of public outrage when the expectation of a case that has cost the euro does not materialize. Fraud is not worth it and liability cannot be avoided. At present, the responsibility for fraud extends not only to the virtual sender but also to the recipient.

We hope that there is no interest in participating in activities that are not transparent. All information will be included in the risk management module. And in the future, if the products of unscrupulous sellers are brought to Lithuania, they will be inspected more rigorously.

– Not only shipments should be declared, but also gifts. How will all this work?

– What constitutes a gift is defined very clearly and strictly in the legislation of the European Union. Many are confused and think that if the goods purchased are non-commercial in nature and shipped by third parties, then they can be described as a gift. No. If a transaction has taken place, ie purchase, sale, settlement, it is not a gift.

If, for example, a friend sends a gift from the UK, the gift will only be delivered if the friend sends it free of charge and you don’t pay for it.

– How do I show that the shipment was sent by a friend?

– A free format document will be required to be uploaded to the system. You must indicate that this shipment is a gift from a friend, along with the name of the merchandise and its value.

We recently discussed a case where a friend’s gift was sent from China. As a result, the recipient in Lithuania was outraged by the allegedly unjustified taxes.

There is a fundamental difference in this story. A friend who bought the product and indicated the recipient in Lithuania sent it directly. So obviously it’s not a gift.

When the products are purchased directly from the store and shipped to Lithuania, it is not a gift.