Check customs duties and VAT for online purchases easily – new customs duty calculator in the making

Customs is revamping the popular customs duty calculator to make it more user friendly. By using the calculator, online shoppers can obtain an estimate of the amount of customs duty and VAT due before making purchases from outside the EU. Improvements have been made based on the needs of the users, and some oft-requested features have been added.

Besides estimating the customs duty and VAT, the calculator guides the user through the most common questions regarding the roles that the customer, the transport companies and Customs play in online purchases. The calculator also gives some useful tips on the most common pitfalls to avoid when making online purchases. The calculator, which has been available for several years already, has become very popular and is used by some 300,000 users annually.

Improvements based on the users’ needs

At Finnish Customs, services are continuously being improved while taking into account the wishes of their users. So, when working to improve on the customs duty calculator, the main focus was again on considering the feedback and ideas provided by the users. The new version includes a much requested search function and a wider range of most commonly ordered goods suggested by the users.

“Among the new features, we particularly recommend taking a look at the feature ‘How do I get my parcel’, as it helps give a picture of the stages involved when goods ordered online arrive and need to be declared to Customs. The feature shows what you need to consider to ensure that your parcel is successfully delivered,” says senior customs officer Nadja Painokallio, who is responsible for the development of e-services for private customers.

The aim is to make the purchase and declaration process as convenient and as smooth as possible for the users. The calculator is easy and quick to use on all devices commonly used by online shoppers, be it mobile phones, tablets or computers. Besides the new features, improvements have also been made to the accessibility of the service.

Ordering small online purchases from outside the EU? Try the service already today

When you order goods from outside the EU, you are usually not required to pay customs duties or VAT for consignments containing goods worth 22 euros or less. However, this looks set to change in July, when plans to scrap the relief from VAT for small consignments based on an EU directive may go ahead. This would mean in practice that, from 1 July 2021, all consignments delivered from outside the EU would have to be declared regardless of their value, and the VAT due for them paid. With this in mind, we recommend online shoppers to try the calculator out in advance to ensure that their shopping still runs smoothly after these changes.

We would appreciate hearing your views

We develop our services for our customers, and would be happy to receive feedback and hear your experiences of using the new customs duty calculator. So tell us what you thought of it – you can do it directly in the service.

You can find more information on the customs duty calculator and declaring online purchases on our website:
Customs duty calculator – estimate the customs duty and VAT of your purchase
How do I get my parcel – read about the stages involved when a parcel arrives
Information and tips on ordering goods online