Posti’s tips for consumers: With the United Kingdom due to leave the EU on January 1, 2021, otherwise knows as Brexit, what should you take into account with regard to sending and receiving letters and parcels containing goods?

From January 1, 2021, the UK will no longer be part of the EU’s customs tax treaty applicable to trading. When it comes to the UK, the procedure will follow that of countries such as China or Russia, which are not part of the EU. The change will have an effect on how letters and parcels containing goods are sent and received, so it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it in advance.

Consumer, please take these tips into account when sending or receiving goods from January 1, 2021 onward

Goods items between Finland and the UK must be cleared through customs.

• You can find further information and instructions on the Finnish Customs’ website
• The letter and parcel items that must be cleared include Postal Parcels, international Express Parcels and international letter items containing goods.
• Please note that gifts between private persons may also need to be cleared.
• Normal letters which do not contain goods do not need to be cleared.

When sending goods to the UK from January 1, 2021 onward:

Use the customs declaration CN22 or CN23 to report the content of the goods item both electronically and on the item.

Declare the content of the letter item at www.posti.fi/tullaustiedot and then attach the CN22 customs clearance to the item as a printout or a label. The printout or label must be signed and dated.

Declare the content of the parcel when sending it either at posti.fi or in OmaPosti.

Required item information:

• Full name and address information of the sender and recipient
• Content information:
• An accurate description and quantity of the goods in English, e.g., ‘men’s cotton shirt, 2 pcs’
• The weight of each item in kg, for example, the above-mentioned shirts, a total of 0.45 kg
• The value and currency of each good, e.g., EUR 48.60
• The total weight of the item
• The total value and currency of the item.

If the value of the contents of the letter or parcel exceeds SDR 300 (about EUR 350), also attach a CN23 customs declaration in accordance with the instructions of the destination country. If necessary, you can print out a CN23 customs declaration on the Posti website or pick up a declaration at a Posti outlet.

Incomplete information about contents may delay the handling of items in the country of destination and thereby extend the item’s delivery time.

When receiving goods from the UK from January 1, 2021 onward:

Goods items arriving in Finland from the UK are subject to an inward clearance

• Items containing goods with a value in excess of EUR 22 or which are gifts will be cleared through customs.
• Complete the inward clearance and, if necessary, pay Posti’s handling fee within 20 days of the item’s arriving in Finland. Posti can provide you with a notice of arrival for a cleared item including detailed instructions regarding the inward clearance and the payment of the handling fee.