Finance Ministry planning RON 25 fee for low-value parcels from outside the EU

The Finance Ministry proposes a tax of RON 25 for each low-value parcel worth up to EUR 150 originating from non-EU areas, relevant minister Alexandru Nazare announced on Wednesday, pointing out that this measure is expected to bring RON 1.3 billion to the state budget.

"Across Europe, non-EU package flows, I mean packages under EUR 150 have increased from one billion to four billion in the last four years. In Romania, these flows have increased from roughly 3,000 - 4,000 packages per day to 225,000 per day at present. There are a lot of Romanian entrepreneurs, that is almost 40,000, selling online and they have been deeply affected by this increase in the flow of parcels from out-of-EU areas. (...) We propose a fixed fee of RON 25 per parcel, per low-value parcel worth EUR 150, and this fee will be established through cooperation with all courier companies that move these items, so that we can cover parcels that come to Romania directly from out-of-EU areas, as well as those that come through other hubs to Romania," Nazare told a press conference.

He explained that this invasion of products from the non-EU areas has multiple negative effects in terms of the environment, as regards the counterfeiting risk, impacting also logistics and checks.

Nazare added that once the fee is introduced, those who want to establish logistics hubs in Romania and engage in distribution from Romania will no longer have to pay this money.

"We hereby invite them, if they want to do business in Romania, to come and set up their logistics hubs in Romania," the Finance minister said.