As summer vacations begin, many people travel abroad. Price differences make it tempting to shop abroad - so tobacco products often end up in travelers’ luggage when they return to Germany. With our travel advice on the import quantity of HEETS and TEREA tobacco sticks, we would like to make consumers aware of the current legal situation and protect them from unintentional violations, as new, reduced import quantities have been in effect since October 2022.
Read this article to find out everything you need to know about importing HEETS or TEREA.
Import of tobacco sticks from EU countries.
Cigarettes and tobacco products are among the products that are subject to import restrictions. For tobacco sticks such as HEETS or TEREA, since October 2022 only a quarter of the previous quantity may be imported duty-free into Germany from other EU countries (status: July 2023). This quantity is colloquially also known as “free quantity”.
It is important to distinguish between the import of tobacco sticks, cigarettes and other tobacco products. Currently (status: July 2023), the following regulations apply to imports from EU countries:
- 800 cigarettes or
- 400 cigarillos or
- 200 cigars or
- 1000 grams of smoking tobacco or
- 800 tobacco sticks
These quantities apply per private individual and are intended for personal use only.
The current allowances for tobacco products within EU countries can be viewed here.
Import of tobacco sticks from non-EU countries.
Tobacco sticks, cigarettes and other tobacco products can also be imported duty-free into Germany from a non-EU country. The following regulations currently apply (status: July 2023):
- 200 cigarettes or
- 100 cigarillos or
- 50 cigars or
- 250 grams of smoking tobacco (this also includes tobacco sticks).
These quantities apply per private individual and are intended for personal use only.
The current allowances for tobacco products outside EU countries can be found here.
What happens if more is imported?
If the allowance is exceeded, a customs declaration must be filed for the goods at customs clearance. This can result in significant additional costs, as the additional tobacco products are subject to import duties. To avoid unpleasant surprises, you should always keep track of how many tobacco sticks you bring back from your travels.
Please note that customs import regulations can change at any time. You should therefore check the latest regulations before travelling. Click here for an overview.
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