Turkey ends fast-track clearance for small parcels from China
Since 1 February 2026, e-commerce parcels from China no longer benefit from the accelerated customs regime, regardless of their value. Turkey's Ministry of Trade announced the measure on 7 January 2026, following the rise of direct-to-consumer platforms such as AliExpress and Temu.
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Until late January 2026, parcels with a CIF value below 30 euros benefited in Turkey from an accelerated customs regime, without the additional customs duties normally owed being levied. Since 1 February 2026, this regime has been scrapped: all parcels, regardless of value, now follow the standard clearance procedure.
Certain categories, toys, footwear and leather goods, are now subject to standard customs duties: 30% for EU origin and 60% for other origins, including China, on top of the 20% import VAT.
This measure, announced by Turkey's Ministry of Trade on 7 January 2026, is part of a series of progressive restrictions on cross-border e-commerce that Turkey has pursued since a decree in August 2024 followed by another in December 2024.
All businesses doing dropshipping or shipping small quantities from China to Turkish customers are affected, notably via direct-to-consumer platforms.
What it changes for an importer
For a Sorva client testing a product or sending small quantities to Turkey by express parcel, margin calculations must now factor in full customs duties and VAT from the very first shipment, with no exemption. Sorva can help consolidate shipments into a conventional commercial shipment, by grouped sea or air freight, rather than individual parcels, to better control costs and customs documentation.
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