The temporary €3 duty on small parcels from third countries has so far generated €2.86 million in revenue for Cyprus, while imports of low-value shipments remain heavily dominated by China.
According to Customs Department spokesperson Giorgos Constantinou, revenues collected between 1 July and 20 August amounted to €2,860,000.
During that period, 952,975 items arrived in Cyprus in 243,000 parcels.
Revenue breakdown
In July:
- 660,905 items arrived in 160,639 parcels
- Revenue reached €1,982,715
Between 1 and 20 August:
- 292,070 items arrived in 82,360 parcels
- Revenue totalled €876,210
China dominates shipments
Customs data shows that 92% of small parcels arriving during the two-month period originated from China.
The remaining shipments came from:
- United States: 4%
- United Kingdom: 2%
- Other countries: 2%
No clear impact on parcel volumes yet
Constantinou said the introduction of the duty has not yet led to a significant reduction in arrivals of small parcels from third countries.
Prior to the measure, monthly volumes between October 2025 and June 2026 ranged between 250,000 and 300,000 parcels.
He cautioned that the decline recorded over the past two months cannot automatically be attributed to the new charge, noting that seasonal factors, including the holiday period, may also have affected volumes.
According to Constantinou, a clearer picture of the duty's impact is likely to emerge after September.
Limited historical comparisons
Direct comparisons with previous years are difficult because the necessary customs monitoring system was not in place.
Constantinou noted that the Customs Department's Automated Import System only became operational on 29 September 2025.
Before then, many small parcels entered Cyprus via other EU countries, meaning comparable historical data is not available.
