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Travelers entering the EU

Customs and tax allowances for travelers

If you enter the EU from a non-EU country, goods having no commercial character in your personal luggage can be imported free of customs duties, VAT and excise duties within the following limits:

Tobacco products-

• 200 cigarettes or
• 100 cigarillos or
• 50 cigars or
• 250 grams of tobacco

Alcoholic drinks-

• litre of spirits over 22 % vol. or
• litres of fortified wine or sparkling wine
• litres of still wine

Perfume-

• 50 grams

Eau de toilette-

• 250 ml

Other goods-

1. Within that limit, Finland applies a limit of 16 litres of beer per person.
2. The Member States may reduce this limit to 90 Euro for travelers under 15 years
3. The value of personal effects which are imported temporarily or are re-imported following their temporary export is not be taken into consideration for determining this amount.

In this context, imports are regarded as having no commercial character if they take place occasionally and consist of goods for the personal or family use of the travelers, or of goods intended as presents.

The limits laid down in the table above also apply if you come from

• the Canary Islands,
• the Channel Islands,
• Gibraltar or
• other territories where VAT and EU excise provisions do not apply.

EU legislation concerning allowances for travelers can be found in Directive 69/169/EEC (as far as VAT and excise duties are concerned) and in article 46 of Regulation 918/83 as far as customs duties are concerned.

In spite of these rules the importation of goods may be restricted or prohibited in accordance with specific Community and or national legislation.