Starting January 1, a tax of 25 lei for packages from outside the EU with a value under 150 euros came into effect, a measure through which the government estimates revenues of approximately 1.3 billion lei to the budget.

Starting January 1, Romania has introduced a tax of 25 lei for packages from outside the European Union with a declared value of under 150 euros. Last year, approximately 78 million packages from Asia arrived in the country, most of them having a value below this threshold. The government estimates that this measure could generate annual revenues of about 1.3 billion lei for the state budget. The tax could not only improve budget revenues but could also reduce the negative impact of these platforms on local traders. Cristian Pelivan, the director of ARMO, emphasizes, however, that the tax is just a first step and that issues related to non-compliance with consumer protection legislation must also be addressed, considering that the products sold by these platforms may be non-compliant or contain toxic substances. Pelivan suggests that the tax should apply to all non-EU packages, regardless of the delivery location.