"The calculation logic for the handling fee is indeed the same or similar to that of the customs duty on small consignments. The amount of the fee depends on the number of goods lines listed on the declaration. If we take the example of 100 pairs of jeans, which are identical goods, they can be entered on a single goods line on the customs declaration," Kaari Lainevool, service manager at the Tax and Customs Board's customs administration department, explained to ERR.

A customs duty of €3 applies to shipments worth up to €150. If the contents of a package has to be declared on three goods lines, for example, the total customs duty is €9 and the new handling fee is €6.

Customs duty on more expensive shipments depends on the goods, but the €2 handling fee will also be added for each goods line in these shipments.

Tõnu Väät, executive director of the Estonian E-Commerce Association, said the additional cost may discourage buyers from ordering cheap goods: "The same product that I used to order and that cost, for example, €6 – if I add €3 to that and another €2 from November, then it is no longer worth ordering."

He added that some Estonian retailers have already noticed an increase in sales figures following the introduction of the customs duty in July.

"For example, several electronics retailers selling phone chargers, headphones, phone cases, screen protectors and other similar products have said that their sales have increased by 10-20 percent in recent months," Väät explained.

However, customs statistics do not show how much people in Estonia have reduced their orders from outside the European Union.

The Tax and Customs Board said the volume of small consignments declared in Estonia fell by 80 percent in July and August. However, some packages are cleared through customs in other European Union member states and arrive in Estonia as intra-EU shipments. As a result, they are not reflected in Estonian customs statistics.

The new handling fee will cover the costs of checking shipments, including risk analysis and package inspections.

Depending on the online store, buyers may pay the handling fee either when completing their purchase or only when importing the goods. The decisive factor is the date of declaration: the fee will also apply to packages ordered or arriving in Estonia before November if the customs declaration is submitted on November 1 or later.

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