Duty-free shopping era ends: how much are the new taxes? What is the situation in other countries?

The 30 Euro exemption for international e-commerce purchases will become a thing of the past as of February 6, 2026. From now on, even if the product you buy costs 1 Euro, you will pay plenty of taxes. We tried to explain the details in this video!

A revolutionary decision directly affecting individuals making international purchases in Turkey was published in the Official Gazette on January 7, 2026. With this regulation, the long-standing 30 Euro customs exemption has been completely abolished, and the limit has been reduced to zero.

The effective date of the new regulation has been set as February 6, 2026. From this date onwards, even the smallest product ordered from platforms like Temu, AliExpress, or Amazon will be subject to customs procedures and taxes.

Tax rates vary significantly depending on the country of origin. A 30% customs duty will be applied to shipments from European Union countries, while a 60% customs duty will be applied to products from other countries like China and the USA. Additionally, a 20% Special Consumption Tax (ÖTV) will be added to these rates for electronic and cosmetic products.

The Ministry of Trade announced that the most fundamental reason behind this decision is product safety. Inspections revealed that 81% of the products examined did not comply with standards, and many even contained toxic and carcinogenic substances.

Technology enthusiasts, low-income citizens, and hobbyists will be most affected by the regulation. Especially for low-priced accessories, fixed costs such as customs declaration service fees can increase the total cost to several times the product price.

Turkey is not alone in this regard globally; while the European Union plans to abolish all exemptions by 2028, the USA suspended its $800 limit in 2025. However, Turkey's tax rates, reaching up to 60%, stand out as one of the harshest implementations on a global scale.

In the continuation of our video, we have tried to explain in detail exceptions such as health products, example calculations, and how you can adapt to this new era.