New customs regulation has come into effect
As of today, the Simplified Customs Declaration application has been implemented for products arriving from abroad that do not exceed 30 Euros. The new regulation provides convenience for exporters while also introducing significant changes for commercial sample imports.
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Products arriving from abroad that do not exceed 30 Euros will now be processed via a Simplified Customs Declaration. The new regulation, implemented by the Ministry of Trade as of February 6, 2026, will make customs procedures faster and easier. For products not exceeding 30 Euros, provided that certain conditions are met, importers' customs procedures will be carried out in a simplified manner.
THE ERA OF DUTY-FREE SHOPPING HAS ENDED
The 30 Euro limit for duty-free shopping made via mail or cargo from abroad was removed with a decision taken last January. With the new regulation that came into effect as of today, the era of duty-free shopping from abroad has ended. Now, products not exceeding 30 Euros will be processed under the scope of the Simplified Customs Declaration.
LIMITS HAVE INCREASED
The new regulation also provides significant conveniences for exporters. In export transactions made with a Simplified Customs Declaration, the 300-kilogram limit has been increased to 600 kilograms, and the 15,000 Euro limit has been increased to 30,000 Euros. With this change, the transaction processes of exporters will be made more efficient.
WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THE NEW REGULATION?
The new regulation also allows for the import of non-commercial samples for R&D, education, and testing purposes. Universities, students, and R&D personnel will be able to import such samples under the conditions determined by the Ministry of Trade. For example, accessories such as fabric, buttons, and zippers for textile samples; and laces, soles, and leather samples for leather shoes can be imported. It will be possible to carry out such imports with a Simplified Customs Declaration.
Another important article of the new regulation includes imports for R&D and educational purposes. Within the framework of technological research and development projects, universities and other relevant institutions will be able to import certain samples. Goods to be used in projects within the scope of the Technology Development Zones Law will also be declared with a Simplified Customs Declaration.
BURDEN OF PROOF: DOCUMENTS ARE MANDATORY
According to the new regulation, importers will be required to submit documents proving that they are university or R&D personnel. Relevant institutions will apply with documents showing that the import is being made within the scope of a project. In addition, importers will present these documents along with their Republic of Turkey Identification Number for customs procedures.
With the regulation, companies with Approved Person Status will be able to carry out their transactions faster if they meet the necessary conditions to process with a Simplified Customs Declaration. The applications of these persons will be accepted upon the completion of the necessary paperwork.
With the new regulation, foreign trade capital companies, sectoral foreign trade companies, and persons holding an R&D center certificate will be able to benefit from simplified customs procedures. These persons will be able to carry out faster customs procedures when they fulfill certain conditions in their import and export processes. These conditions include items such as having made 5 million US dollars in actual exports within the last two years.