The State Customs Service of Ukraine has introduced automatic processing of international postal and express shipments. The new system allows import and export parcels to be processed without their physical presentation to the customs authority and without direct participation of a customs officer in the procedure. This should speed up shipment processing and simplify the work of postal operators.
The State Customs Service of Ukraine reported this on October 22.
The main change is that the decision on customs clearance of individual shipments is now made automatically based on pre-submitted electronic data. If the parcel meets the established criteria and the system does not detect grounds for additional control, clearance can take place without the involvement of an official.
The new mechanism is based on an automated risk management system that uses, in particular, artificial intelligence technologies. Algorithms analyze information about shipments and determine cases that require additional verification. At the same time, customs officers continue to process preliminary information and control risky operations.
According to the agency, additional criteria and stricter requirements have been established for automatic processing. Therefore, the innovation does not mean that all international parcels will pass through customs without checks. If the system identifies potential risks, the shipment may be directed for additional control.
Automation is expected to reduce the number of unnecessary procedures, speed up customs clearance, and optimize the logistics of international shipments. For recipients, this could mean faster customs passage for parcels, although the State Customs Service does not yet specify concrete reductions in delivery times.
Specialists from the Kyiv and Lviv customs offices were involved in the implementation of the new mechanism. Kyiv customs officers prepared proposals for organizing the process, and the first cases of automatic processing of international shipments have already occurred in the area of operation of the Lviv customs office.
It is worth noting that electronic processing of international parcels has been in effect in Ukraine since April 2024. The innovation expands automation: now the system can not only process electronic documents but also independently make decisions on the clearance of shipments that meet the defined conditions.
The launch of the new mechanism does not change the current rates of customs payments. Earlier, on October 15, the Verkhovna Rada adopted separate legislative changes that provide for the abolition of the VAT exemption for commercial parcels valued up to 150 euros. However, the new taxation rules are expected to come into force no earlier than July 1, 2027, after the necessary technical preparation.
Based on materials from: State Customs Service of Ukraine.
