07.08.2026 Regulation #EAEU #Import #E-commerce #Duties

EAEU sets 5% duty on cross-border e-commerce starting 2027

On August 7, 2026, heads of government of the Eurasian Economic Union member states signed an Agreement on e-commerce in goods within the EAEU, unifying online sales rules across the bloc. The same day, the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) confirmed that a separate document — a protocol amending the EAEU Customs Code for external e-commerce — will take effect on January 1, 2027. These are two distinct documents with different application dates, and businesses should not conflate them (EEC news on the Agreement, EEC news on the Protocol).

Consumer rights and document flow inside the union

The Agreement covers sales between EAEU member states and sets rules common to all five countries:

a 14-day return period for goods of proper quality;
a mandatory pre-litigation dispute resolution procedure between trading parties, including refund terms;
a unified electronic document flow for online transactions;
harmonized requirements for personal data protection and information security;
unified rules for advertising mailings;
a single list of goods restricted or banned from online sale.

EEC Minister for Trade Andrei Slepnev called the treaty necessary "to create a predictable environment for the development of e-commerce" and to prevent trade barriers between member states.

Duty rate and threshold for external e-commerce

The second document — the Protocol on Amendments to the Treaty on the EAEU Customs Code Concerning the Regulation of External E-commerce (the "Protocol") — covers purchases citizens make on foreign platforms, i.e. traffic entering the union from outside. Its key novelty, per Slepnev, is carving out external e-commerce goods into a separate customs category with its own clearance rules. The fixed parameters for that category:

a flat duty rate of 5%, but no less than 1 euro per kilogram;
a duty-free threshold of 200 euros for parcels sent to individuals (confirmed by the EEC Council decision of January 12, 2026 — Interfax).

The Protocol has already been ratified by Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; the source does not list Russia among the countries that have completed ratification. It enters into force once the EEC receives the last ratification instrument.

What it means for businesses

Sellers on foreign marketplaces, logistics operators, and customs brokers handling express cargo for individuals will need to rework delivery cost models: once a parcel exceeds the 200-euro threshold, it will be charged either 5% of its value or 1 euro per kilogram of weight — whichever is greater. Companies selling online within the EAEU separately need to bring their terms of sale, return policies and complaint-handling procedures in line with the new Agreement — first by aligning return windows with the mandatory 14 days and preparing for the pre-litigation dispute process.

What member states still need to finish before the protocol starts

Member states still need to adopt national legislation and upgrade information systems to apply both sets of rules in practice. The source gives no separate effective date for the intra-union Agreement beyond its signing on August 7, 2026; the external e-commerce protocol has a fixed date — January 1, 2027 — though it will only take full effect once ratification is completed by all member states.

Primary sources

This material is for information only and does not constitute legal advice or customs consulting. Verify changes against the primary sources before acting.