What can you bring from Poland to Belarus? Import of products from Poland to the Kaliningrad region. What can and cannot be imported? Customs regulations Poland

For those who often travel to Poland, it will be interesting to learn about the rules for importing alcohol and cigarettes into this country. Ignorance or insufficient information can lead to you being accused of smuggling, which entails serious consequences and a hefty fine for violating European Union customs regulations.

General standards

It is necessary to distinguish the norms for transportation within the country from the permitted quantity of goods that can be transported from countries that are not included in it. So, an individual who enters Poland or any other EU state from the territory of so-called “third countries” and imports goods worth the following amount in his personal luggage is exempt from paying tax and customs duties:

1. By plane or sea transport – up to 430 euros.
2. By bus, train, car and other types of ground transport - up to 300 euros.

At the same time, there is a list of exceptions that are not taken into account when calculating. Among them are medicines and pills that are needed during the trip, personal belongings of the traveler that are temporarily exported and imported back, fuel that is in the gas tank of the vehicle crossing the border. In addition, it is allowed to have an additional canister of fuel, the amount of which does not exceed 10 liters. and is also equivalent to luggage. The cost of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products imported by an individual over 17 years of age is not taken into account. At the same time, the amount of alcohol and tobacco should not exceed the norms for import across the border.

Transport of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products

The quantity of goods of these two categories allowed to be transported across the Polish border is strictly regulated. There are fines for violation.

Alcohol

Permissible amount of alcohol that can be imported into Poland (in liters):

• Beer – 16l.
• Wine (regular, not sparkling) – 4l.
• Other drinks with an ethyl alcohol content of no more than 22% - 2 l.
• Strong drinks with an alcohol content exceeding 22% – 1 liter.

1. Citizens who live and/or work in the so-called border zone. This includes 15 km. zone along .
2. Employees of transport companies that carry out transportation (including passenger traffic) between countries outside the EU and its members.

For them, the norms for importing alcohol into Poland should not exceed the following volume:

• Beer – up to 2l.
• Wine, liqueurs, strong drinks (vodka, whiskey, cognac, tequila, etc.) – up to 0.5 l.

Tobacco products

As for the number of cigarettes that can be imported into Poland, there is also a division according to the type of transport used to cross the border. You are allowed to bring (one thing, not all at once) by rail or road transport:

• Cigarettes – 40 pcs. (standard 2 packs).
• Cigarillos – up to 20 pieces.
• Cigars – up to 10 pcs.
• Tobacco – maximum 50 grams.

By sea or air transport:

• Cigarettes – 200 pcs. (10 packs/1 block).
• Cigarillos – up to 100 pcs.
• Cigars – up to 50 pcs.
• Tobacco – maximum 250 grams.

About smuggling and prescribed penalties

The reasons for the smuggling of cigarettes into Poland, as well as the illegal import of alcohol into this country, are obvious. First of all, this is beneficial due to the difference in prices for similar goods in this country and in neighboring Ukraine, Belarus, as well as the Kaliningrad region of Russia.

Smugglers know very well how much tobacco and alcohol they can import, and they deliberately violate these standards, often without fear of a fine. The reason is simple: you can sell your “cargo” by transporting it across the border at a higher price, because a pack costs more there. That's why they smuggle goods despite the restrictions.

2018 is no exception: the cost of cigarettes in our western neighbor continues to be higher. What tricks do smugglers go to and where do they hide cargo for the sake of making illegal profits?

Anticipated fines

The amount of the penalty imposed depends on a number of factors, including the volume of cargo transported, the presence or absence of similar offenses in the past, and so on. Accordingly, if a person is not “caught” for the first time, then the size of the fine will be higher. In most cases, it is 150-350 zlotys, unless we are talking about particularly large quantities.

Of course, all illegally transported goods are subject to confiscation. The Polish visa will be canceled, and the foreign citizen himself will be added to the “black list” as undesirable for entering the country. Often the vehicle is also seized if illegal cargo was transported by car. In a number of special cases, criminal liability may arise. For example, if a large consignment of goods was transported, or the same person committed multiple violations of customs rules.

Poland attracts numerous tourists with its rich nature, valuable historical and architectural monuments and numerous attractions. The flow of tourists arriving in the country of churches is growing every year.

Permitted norms for the import of personal belongings that are not subject to duty

Persons entering Poland for a temporary stay may take with them those personal items that they will need during their visit to the country. Imported items are subject to a temporary import procedure, completely exempt from customs duties and insurance.

When crossing the border, a tourist, a citizen of a country that is not part of the EU, by land transport is allowed to transport his personal belongings for a total amount of no more than 300 euros. When crossing the Polish border by plane, the amount increases to 430 euros. These rules are common to all EU countries. For comparison, it is worth saying that you can import personal goods worth a total of 10,000 euros into Russia without declaration - when crossing the border by plane. When using land or sea transport, the amount is reduced to 1,500 euros.

For persons under 15 years of age, the permitted rate for importing items is limited to 150 euros. Items in personal luggage must not be intended for commercial purposes.

If there are more items for personal use in your luggage than the permitted limit, this should be reported to the customs officer (orally). He is obliged to calculate the tax and customs payments that must be paid.

Personal items are considered to be clothing and personal jewelry, Sports Equipment, medical equipment necessary to maintain human health, such as portable dialysis machines, wheelchairs, televisions and radios. Medicines or drugs are allowed to be imported in quantities necessary for personal use. On customs point may be asked to provide a hospital certificate or doctor's prescription.

Tourists can take binoculars, a camera, a video camera and equipment for them, a laptop, typewriters and adding machines. The number of items should be determined by their purpose and the timing of the trip. A prerequisite is that all these things are taken back out of the country.

Products made of gold, platinum, natural pearls and precious stones with a total weight of no more than 50 g can be imported into the country.

Antique jewelry and books published before 1945 imported into the country must be declared. The export from Poland of objects that were manufactured before May 9, 1945 is carried out only with the permission of the restorer of ancient monuments.

If the amount of required customs duties and taxes on imported goods is more than 5,000 euros, customs has the right to require a list of imported items and things. When leaving the country, the same list is presented again at the customs point.

Vehicles that have foreign state registration are subject to customs inspection during their stay in Poland. If the vehicle remains in the country, its owner is required to pay turnover tax and customs duties.

Quantitative standards for the import of duty-free alcohol and tobacco products

Polish laws restrict the import of alcohol and tobacco products. When crossing the border by land, you can import no more than 10 cigars, or 20 thin cigarettes, or 40 regular cigarettes, or 50 grams of tobacco into Poland. For air and water transport, the standards have been increased 5 times; accordingly, it is allowed to import 50 cigars, or 100 thin or 200 regular cigarettes, or 250 grams of tobacco. The amount of alcohol allowed for import is 16 liters of beer, 4 liters of wine (not sparkling), 2 liters of low-alcohol drinks and 1 liter of alcohol with a strength above 22 degrees.

When entering Poland from the countries of the European Union, you can carry the following quantities of tobacco products duty free: 800 pieces of cigarettes, 400 pieces of thin cigarettes - cigarillos, 200 pieces of cigars and 1 kg of smoking tobacco. The standards for alcohol allowed to be imported also differ markedly from those for non-EU countries. It is allowed to carry up to 10 liters of alcohol, 20 liters of other alcoholic beverages with a strength of up to 22 degrees, 90 liters of wine (out of the total amount of champagne wine, no more than 60 liters), 110 liters of beer.

Special rules apply for special categories of citizens. These include:

• Persons living in the border zone (15-kilometer zone along the border);
• Citizens working in the border zone;
• Crews of vehicles engaged in transport between the EU and countries outside the European Community.

Special restrictions apply to alcohol and alcoholic beverages. It is allowed to carry 0.5 liters of alcohol or alcoholic drinks whose strength exceeds 22 degrees, 0.5 liters of alcoholic drinks with a strength less than 22 degrees. You can also carry 0.5 liters of table wine and 2 liters of beer.

Rules for the import and export of currency

Amounts of money equivalent to 10,000 euros or more must be included in the declaration. The currency in which they are imported does not matter. You can export foreign and national means of payment from the territory of Poland in the amount that was declared upon entry, or with a special permit from a foreigner to export currency. If a person entering the country has not declared the transported cash in the amount of 10,000 euros or more, the authorized bodies may detain the undeclared cash, as well as take the necessary actions set out in the legislation.

Requirements for food products imported into the country

The Polish side pays special attention to food products imported into the country. You are allowed to carry 5 kg of fruits and vegetables, 50 pieces of cut ornamental plants. If the weight of the products is greater, vegetables and fruits are included in the declaration and undergo phytosanitary control. Non-animal food products are imported for personal use only. If the customs officer doubts this, their import will be suspended.

All products containing meat or milk are strictly prohibited from import. The ban on import of these products is dictated by concern for the meat and dairy sectors of the national economy. According to members of the European Community, it is imported meat and milk that can cause outbreaks of an epidemiological nature, which are dangerous not only for animals, but also for humans. The ban on this category of products also applies to postal items. If these requirements are not met, products containing meat and milk will be confiscated and the passenger will face a fine.

Those people who, due to health reasons, need special nutrition can take it with them. A prerequisite is that the products are packaged in accordance with customs requirements and their weight is no more than 2 kg. The import of baby food and powdered milk for infants is also allowed.

With the exception of dairy and meat dishes It is allowed to import honey, egg products, snail meat, etc. The total weight of imported products must be no more than 2 kg. The exception is for tourists arriving from Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland and Croatia, they have the right to import up to 10 kg of products.

Rules for importing pets

No more than 5 pets are allowed to be brought into the country. All of them must be chipped - marked with an electronic identifier. A certificate of animal health with a rabies vaccination stamp is required. It is also necessary to fill out a declaration and an application indicating temporary import. It must be noted in it that the animal will definitely be taken out of the country and, when leaving Poland, this declaration must be presented.

For those animals that are more than three months old, a health certificate is required, which is issued by veterinarians of the country from which they arrive. The certificate must contain information about the animal and its owner, and also confirm the good condition of the animal. It should also include information about vaccinating your pet against rabies, as well as information about testing to detect rabies antibodies.

The validity period of the rabies vaccination must cover the entire expected time the animal is in Poland. If the animal has only passed the first stage of vaccination, it must be vaccinated at least 21 days before departure.

If an animal does not meet any requirements, it is either quarantined or returned. This is decided by the competent authorities after consultation with veterinarians.

For the import of those items that are made from animals or plants (fur products, leather products from reptiles, corals) a special certificate is required. There are special rules when importing rare animals. It is necessary to provide an export, import permit of the CITES Convention and a certificate of origin. It is prohibited to transport parrots across the border.

Items prohibited for import into Poland

• The following substances are prohibited from being imported into Poland:
• Drugs.
• Radioactive substances.
• Explosives.
• Potently toxic substances.

The transportation of certain types of weapons and ammunition is strictly regulated. It is necessary to present documents granting the right to transport them. In addition, they must be declared to the customs authorities.

For violation of customs rules, a fine or criminal liability is provided.

Whatever the purpose of your trip to Poland, customs rules need to be studied in advance. Customs officers at checkpoints have fairly broad powers. They may offer to declare the goods, demand payment of duties, confiscate the goods, impose a fine, or even ban entry into the territory of the European Union (cancel a work or student visa).

Ukrainian and Polish customs rules do not coincide on all points. In addition, the rules for transporting certain categories of goods depend on how to cross the border. This could be a pedestrian crossing, ground transport, or the services of airlines and water transport. So, if you want to avoid problems at the border, you need to know exactly what and in what quantities you are allowed to import and export in Ukraine and Poland.

Customs regulations of Ukraine

The movement of goods and personal belongings across the Ukrainian border is carried out in accordance with the Customs Code. For some categories of goods there are separate regulations.

What can be transported across the border of Ukraine

Personal items

According to the Customs Code, personal belongings can be in hand luggage or luggage. Clothes, shoes, underwear, and jewelry must show signs of use and be in quantities sufficient for personal use during the trip. Cosmetics and hygiene products should also not exceed the needs of one person.

One person's personal belongings may contain no more than:

• 1 camera or video camera;
• 2 mobile phones;
• 1 portable TV;
• 2 laptops and 3 flash cards;
• 2 hours;
• 0.5 l eau de toilette and 100 grams of perfume;
• 2 musical instruments.

The rules also limit the number of strollers to one (if the citizen has no children) or one for each child traveling. The amount of sports equipment in the luggage of a person crossing the border (bicycle, set of equipment for a climber or scuba diver, fishing rod, skis, etc.) must be enough for one person.

Cash is allowed to be transported in any currency without declaration if it is equivalent to 10 thousand € or less. Otherwise, you will need to declare the funds and provide proof of withdrawal from your bank account.

Excise goods

The most common excise goods transported across the border are alcohol in any form and tobacco products. Information about how many cigarettes can be exported from Ukraine is relevant for persons over 18 years of age. The same age limit is set for alcohol.

Every person across the Ukrainian border can import/export:

• choice of 200 cigarettes/50 cigars/250 gr. tobacco or tobacco products in a set whose weight does not exceed 250 grams. or;
• 5 liters of beer, 2 liters of wine (any), 1 liter of strong (22% alcohol or higher) alcoholic drinks.

Medicines and other categories

When considering what can be exported from Ukraine, one cannot ignore medications. They are allowed to be transported in quantities not exceeding 5 units (minimum packages) of each item. For drugs with narcotic/psychotropic substances, a prescription is required indicating the international name, surname of the patient, medical institution, doctor and relevant stamps. The quantity of such drugs should not exceed that required for the duration of the trip.

Pets can be exported/imported if you have a veterinary passport and an F-1 certificate. They must be issued no later than 3 days (72 hours) before crossing the border.

With written declaration, you can carry up to 500 grams. banking metals (ingots, coins). You also need to declare securities.

The cost of food products imported to Ukraine should not exceed 200 euros per person. Moreover, they must be in original packaging weighing up to 2 kg. You are allowed to import no more than one unit of each product name.

What is prohibited to import and export

It is prohibited to transport narcotic/psychotropic substances, poisons, weapons, explosives, rare earth and radioactive metals, cultural values, and some other goods and materials across the Ukrainian border. The exceptions are prescription drugs, hunting weapons, and personal cultural property.

More information about how much alcohol can be imported into Ukraine and other customs rules can be found on the website of the Fiscal Service.

Polish customs regulations

In Poland, customs rules differ for those entering from the EU countries and other territories, which include Ukraine. We will consider the rules and restrictions only for our country.

What can you bring across the Polish border?

Personal items

As personal belongings, it is allowed to transport clothes, shoes and other goods that show signs of use, weighing up to 50 kg per person. But Polish customs officers regard new packaged goods as gifts. Upon entry into Poland by land transport the cost of “gifts” should not exceed 300 euros per person. When crossing the border by plane or ship, the amount increases to 430 euros. It does not include the cost of excisable goods and medicines.

Cash without declaration can be up to 10 thousand euros. The equivalent of this amount in another currency is allowed.

Excise goods

To answer the question of how much alcohol or how many cigarettes can be transported across the border, it is necessary to take into account the difference in the interpretation of the permissible age in Poland and Ukraine. If for us it is 18 years, then for the Poles it is 17 years. Since the chances of celebrating a birthday while crossing the border are minimal, we adopt stricter standards - the permissible age for transporting alcohol and tobacco products is 18 years.

By air or sea transport, everyone can bring their choice to Poland:

• 200 cigarettes/100 cigarillos (weight up to 3 g each)/50 cigars/250 g. tobacco;
• 16 liters of beer/4 liters of still wines/2 liters of drinks with a concentration of up to 22% alcohol/1 liter of drinks with a concentration above 22%.

By car, train or on foot, everyone can bring to Poland their choice of:

• 40 cigarettes/20 cigarillos (weight up to 3 g each)/10 cigars/50 g. tobacco;
• 2 liters of beer/0.5 liters of still wines/0.5 liters of drinks with a mass fraction of alcohol up to 22%/0.5 liters of alcohol or drinks with its concentration above 22%.

As you can see, when deciding how much alcohol can be exported from Ukraine to Poland, it is important to focus on the type of transport. The same is true for tobacco products.

Poland has also severely limited the amount of fuel it imports. This is a full car tank (but not more than 200 liters) and 10 liters in a canister.

Medicines and other categories

Regarding medicines, Polish and Ukrainian customs regulations are the same. But the transport of products across the border is significantly limited. It is therefore prohibited to transport meat, milk and their processed products. Canned food and even chocolate are also prohibited. An exception is made for baby and medical nutrition in limited quantities.

The Poles allow the following to be transported across the border:

• 5 kg of fruits and vegetables, except potatoes;
• 125 grams of sturgeon caviar in a package;
• 2 kg of honey;
• 500 g coffee;
• 100 g of tea.

Stricter standards in Poland are not only for the import of products. So, animals require a lot of documents, the list of which is better to check a couple of months before the trip.

What cannot be transported across the Polish border

It is prohibited to transport drugs, explosives, poisonous, psychotropic or radioactive substances into the EU, as well as into Ukraine. Documents are required for hunting, sporting weapons and cultural property. Unlike Ukraine, live plants and even their seeds cannot be imported into Poland.

As you can see, there are not many restrictions. It is better not to neglect them, because for violation you can receive not only a fine, but also a restriction on entry into the EU for up to 5 years.

Until April 14, 2016, the movement of goods for personal use across the border of the Republic of Belarus was regulated by Presidential Decree No. 360 of July 21, 2014 “On the movement of goods for personal use across the customs border of the Customs Union in the Republic of Belarus.” On April 14, 2016, Presidential Decree No. 40 comes into force, which significantly tightens the import rules contained in the previous document.

Let us take a closer look at the stated goals of Decree No. 40 and its main provisions.

Goals of new customs rules for the import of goods into Belarus

It is assumed that limiting the weight and value of property that one individual has the right to import duty-free across the customs border of the Republic of Belarus will prevent attempts at illegal commercial activity, i.e. importation of goods for further sale under the guise of being purchased for personal consumption.

The main routes for transporting goods for the purpose of resale are considered to be postal mail, as well as road and rail transport. Air transportation turns out to be less convenient for illegal commerce due to the higher cost and complexity of registration. Crossing the border less than once every three months is also considered unsuitable for illegal business.

The next goal of the new rules should be the protection of the internal space of the Customs Union from duty-free import of consumer products. Here it is necessary to take into account the protection of the domestic market from foreign goods, and the desire to increase the total amount of customs duties, and the improvement of the situation of importers who work legally and pay customs duties and other taxes.

Based on this, it becomes clear why all existing restrictions do not apply to the movement of goods across the internal borders of the Customs Union.

Limits

Limits for duty-free import of goods for your own needs are determined depending on the method of transportation and frequency of receipt. Namely:

• Postal items from abroad cannot weigh more than 10 kg and cost more than 22 euros. This is a monthly limit per recipient;
• For those who cross the border more often than once every three months, the import norm is 20 kg and 300 euros;
• Those entering Belarus at intervals of three months or more are allowed to import duty-free items up to 50 kg worth 1,500 euros;
• There are no limits on the frequency of travel for those using air travel. The total weight of duty-free imported items must not exceed 50 kg, the cost is 10,000 euros.

The above rules apply to everyone arriving in the Republic of Belarus, regardless of citizenship. The exceptions are diplomats and consular employees, as well as refugees and persons arriving for permanent residence.

Please note that the limits adopted in the Republic of Belarus are not equal to those applied by other CU states. Thus, the import of goods through sections of the common customs border controlled by other members of the Union is possible and legal.

Payments when limits are exceeded

Exceeding the weight and value restrictions mentioned above is not an obstacle to import. However, the amount of exceeding the limits will be charged:

• Customs duties;
• Customs payments;

Effective value customs duty varies by product group. The flat rate for most goods is 30% of the cost, but not less than 4 euros per 1 kilogram of weight. Some goods may not be subject to duties.

Customs duty is a fee for carrying out transactions on customs clearance. It is charged in addition to duties. The rate depends on the product category. So for clothes you will have to pay 20 euros, for a car - 50, etc.

Value added tax (VAT) - 20% of the specified value of the property.

You need to know that these payments only apply to the amount exceeding the limit. If the amount of customs duty remains the same for a product category, then duty and VAT are charged as a percentage. When exceeding the limit by a small amount, for example 10 euros, the total payment can be calculated using the formula:

SP = (S*P) + (S*P+S)*N + TS;

SP - total payment;

C - amount of exceeding the limit;

P - customs duty;

TS - customs duty.

Practice of application of new rules

It will be possible to understand what the application of the new customs rules will be like after some time. But some points should be taken into account now.

It will be useful to have documents confirming the purchase of goods indicating the name and price, for example, a receipt.

You should not deceive customs officers by understating the price; they have an approximate idea of ​​the cost of common goods;

If you have doubts about your right to duty free import, it is better not to go into the “green corridor” and get ready to fill out the declaration.

You should know that in addition to weight and price restrictions, there are other grounds for charging payments. First of all, this concerns the classification of transported items into groups of goods not purchased for personal use (for example, industrial equipment) and some other categories with special import conditions.

For greater confidence, it will be useful for an ordinary citizen to familiarize himself with the information of the State Customs Committee on the official website of the organization - customs.gov.by.

Residents of Belarus have long been shopping in neighboring Poland, where they buy high-quality and inexpensive European goods. If previously the source of import of goods were returning tourists, now the situation has changed dramatically. Many residents of Belarus purposefully go shopping in neighboring country. Before your trip, it is worth studying the innovations in the laws: all prohibited items and products will be confiscated at customs.

New rules and regulations for the import of goods introduced in 2019

1. It is no longer possible to carry pork in any form, either frozen or live, or as part of food products. This means that when crossing the border, lard, sausage, sausages, smoked products and other goods containing pig meat will be taken away from you.
2. Food for animals and fish. It will be almost impossible to import it. Except in cases where the food has been heat-treated and you have documents on hand confirming this fact.

Be careful about the packaging of the goods! It must be correctly marked and indicated detailed composition.

If the packaging of the things you import into the country does not indicate a detailed composition with a description of the components, they may not be allowed through customs. Even if you are importing permitted chicken or beef, if there is no detailed information about the contents on the packaging, they will be prohibited from import.

It is very difficult to import live plants, seedlings and seeds into Belarus.

Currently, legislation obliges all plants and seeds to be subjected to phytosanitary control. It can take an extremely long time, which will completely kill your desire and motivation to wait for an import permit.

Restrictions on the import of kitchen and household appliances to Belarus

These restrictions came into force after Belarus joined Customs Union with Russia and Kazakhstan. Now, according to the new rules, you can import one unit of equipment belonging to the kitchen or household class once every three years. For example, if you bought a refrigerator in Poland and brought it with you to the country, you will be able to buy another refrigerator in three years.

List of goods subject to import restrictions

• Hob
• Gas stove intended for cooking
• Electric stove for the kitchen
• Kitchen hood
• Food processor
• Fridge
• Microwave
• Oven
• Freezer
• Coffee maker
• Washing machine
• Sewing machine
• Laptop
• LCD monitor
• TV
• Tablet PC
• Household electric generator
• Xerox
• Car wash
• Baby carriage
• Smooth-bore and rifled weapons
• boat motor
• Toilet
• Bathroom sink
• Shower stall
• Bath
• Toilet cistern
• Water heater

Once every two years you can import 4 units of the following types of goods:

• Moped
• Motorbike
• Scooter
• Summer tires for a car
• Winter tires for a car
• Rims

When importing tires, wheels or other automobile accessories, you will be asked for documents proving ownership of the car. Be prepared for this.

Goods imported for personal use

Once every three months, you have the right to import goods for personal use, whose total value does not exceed 1,500 euros and whose total weight does not exceed 50 kilograms. The only exception is crossing the border at the airport. For air travelers there is an increased limit of 10,000 euros. Household chemicals and detergents can only be imported in large packages weighing 3 kilograms or more. And no more than three packages at a time.

Please remember that alcoholic beverages are not included in this category. There is a separate limit set for it, equal to three liters. You can import a maximum of 5 liters of alcohol, but you will have to pay 10 euros for each liter exceeding the free import limit.

Limits on tobacco products: 200 cigarettes, or 250 grams of packaged tobacco.

Important: absolutely all goods whose weight exceeds 35 kilograms are subject to mandatory declaration and you will have to pay customs duties. You will also have to declare goods that do not fall within the permitted limit of 50 kilograms. The duty will be about 30% of the market value, but not less than 4 euros per kilogram.