Sending parcels abroad has been simplified: what has changed

Igor Smelyansky, CEO of Ukrposhta, welcomes the parliament's decision to raise the threshold for the value of goods sent by individual entrepreneurs and enterprises outside Ukraine.

The official emphasizes: "It's hard to remember the last week as one where there was something positive. However, there were some exceptions, such as the news about the support of Ukrainian exports, which is always cool!

Even if Ukrposhta loses a little in the short term, our customers will be happy, which means that over time there will be even more of them. So we have to look at the issue strategically

Last week, the Verkhovna Rada adopted in the second reading Law No. 9456, which regulates the issue of raising the threshold for the value of goods sent by individual entrepreneurs and enterprises outside Ukraine. We, of course, contributed to this law with our modest efforts and, together with MPs, made good news for small manufacturers who sell abroad through their own website or marketplace such as Etsy, Amazon, eBay or Shopify.

Previously, for sole proprietors and legal entities, if the cost of goods + shipping together amounted to more than €150, hello, bureaucracy and hassle - clearance only through the submission of a cargo customs declaration, in a separate customs system, to which you have neither access nor understanding of how to do it correctly without a broker. Moreover, the average cost of filing one such declaration was UAH 1,500-2,500. And how many potential international entrepreneurs did we lose just because of this?)

And the only way to prevent this was to send separate parcels, which, of course, did not make either the sellers or the recipients happy. Although we and other senders made money on quantity, it reduced the attractiveness of Ukrainian producers in the price category on international platforms.

Now the law has increased this threshold to €1,000.

So, as soon as the Cabinet of Ministers updates the regulations (2-3 months), all legal entities will be able to officially register parcels in 1-2 minutes on the Ukrposhta website. Without any unnecessary formalities, on their own, without a broker, and absolutely free of charge. And they can also send their goods via Ukrposhta to any of the 660,000 branches in 192 countries around the world."