Millions of Poles regularly usage the offer of Chinese e-commerce giants, specified as AliExpress or Temu, tempted by highly low prices. However, this era may come to an end. The government, through the Ministry of Finance and National gross Administration (KAS), finalises work on a fresh automated customs control systemwhich aims to seal the taxation system. For consumers, this means 1 thing: no more undervalues of consignments and the request to pay full VAT. Experts inform that the prices of many popular products can increase by about a quarter, and the waiting time for the package will importantly increase. The changes to come into force in 2025 are a real revolution for the Polish e-commerce marketplace and a blow for chance hunters.
What precisely is changing? The fresh KAS strategy takes packages under scrutiny
The current strategy of control of consignments outside the European Union has mostly been based on declarations of values submitted by broadcasters. It was common practice to mark parcels as a ‘present’ or declare their value at a symbolic amount, e.g. $1-2, which allowed to avoid billing 23% VAT. This process generated immense losses for the state budget, estimated at hundreds of millions of PLN per year.
A fresh solution that he is working on National taxation AdministrationI want him to completely change the situation. It will be an advanced IT system, utilizing artificial intelligence algorithms to verify the real value of shipments. The strategy will automatically analyse data specified as: country of origin, kind of commodity, its weight, and even the details of the seller and buyer. In case of suspected undervalue, the package will be automatically tagged and directed for detailed control. This marks the end of an era in which a smartphone for 500 PLN could cross the border with a $10 value declaration.
How will this affect your order? Higher prices and longer expectations
The introduction of the fresh strategy will have direct and tangible consequences for anyone who orders goods from platforms specified as AliExpress, Temu or Shein. The most crucial change concerns the final price of the product. VAT will be added to each consignment whose value is correctly estimated. What does this mean in practice?
- Price increases: The real value of the product and shipping costs will be added 23% VAT. This means that the electronic gadget costs PLN 100, in fact will cost PLN 123 plus possible handling fees of the postal operator.
- Extended transportation time: Any shipment that triggers the system's suspicion will go to manual control. The verification process, which may require the buyer to supply proof of payment (e.g. an account statement), may extend the wait time for the package even by a fewer weeks.
- Additional formalities: In any cases, the consumer may be invited to supply explanations or papers supporting the transaction. This complicates and prolongs the full purchasing process, which has so far been highly simple.
It is worth remembering that the fresh strategy is to be ruthless. It will not substance whether we order electronics, clothes or tiny accessories – each package will be subject to the same automated hazard analysis.
Why did the government take this step right now?
The decision to seal the customs strategy is not accidental and results from respective key factors. First, it's about huge financial losses to the state budget. The scale of Chinese imports is enormous, and each parcel without paid VAT is simply a real failure to public finances. The government seeks additional influence, and the e-commerce marketplace is 1 of the most apparent areas to seal.
Second, it's a substance of fair competition. Polish and European entrepreneurs, who gotta add VAT to their products, have been alerting for years that they are in a losing position in a clash with Chinese sellers. The fresh rules aim to level the playing field and make the rules the same for everyone. This is besides a consequence to the pressures of EU regulation to harmonise the marketplace and fight unfair taxation practices in the e-commerce sector.
Is this the end of an era of inexpensive purchases from China? What about AliExpress and Temu?
The introduction of the fresh strategy will surely end the era of “cost-effective” purchases, where the price per page was the final price. However, this does not mean a complete end to trade with China. Platforms specified as AliExpress already partially complies with EU requirements, offering the IOSS (Import One-Stop Shop) option, where VAT is charged at the time of purchase. However, the fresh Polish strategy is expected to make it virtually impossible to circumvent this obligation.
What does this mean for consumers in 2025? First of all, the request for more informed purchases. 1 should anticipate that the final product price will be higher by about 23%. It will be worth comparing offers more closely with local stores, as the difference in price may be much smaller than before. It is simply a fundamental change that will permanently redesign the purchasing habits of millions of Poles and reconstruct more equal conditions in the retail market.
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No more inexpensive packages with AliExpress. The government's introducing a fresh system, prices going up?
