Maximum Coverage = Maximum Declared Value for Carriage for the Priority™ Worldwide service.
Finnish postal codes always precede the name of the city or town.
Import Restrictions
Senders should determine import restrictions from Finnish authorities before posting:
alcohol
almanacs and calendars
animal products
bees, leaches and silkworms
cloth and material
food supplements
food stuffs
honeycomb
laser pointers
meat products
medicines
plant or weed-killer
plants of parts of plants
poisons
radio and telecommunication equipment
seeds
tobacco.
Meat, meat products, milk and milk products must be accompanied by a veterinary certificate from the country of origin.
Used clothing
Used clothing is accepted only if thoroughly clean.
Gifts
Articles consigned as "Unsolicited Gifts" are acceptable and will be allowed entry free of any duty or VAT providing the shipment is valued at less than 45 EURO, originated from and consigned to an individual, and is individually wrapped. Multiple gifts can be consigned in one shipment so long as the individual parcels enclosed are individually tagged with the recipients name, are individually wrapped and the value does not exceed the per person limit of 45 EURO. Shipments consigned to companies as gifts for an individual may be denied entry as gifts. They will be subject to full duty and VAT. Generally, most articles can be consigned as gifts, except those articles noted prohibited or restricted for import (see General Import Prohibitions and Restrictions).
Watch Duty
Watches imported into Finland are subject to classification and duty assessment based on per item basis. The actual duty and final rate of duty are determined based on the classification of the watch at the time of entry processing with customs.
Prohibited Items
In addition to items considered non-mailable matter, the following are prohibited:
atlantic red tuna (Thunnus Thynnus) originating from Belize, Panama, or Honduras
all forms of asbestos and fibers
all products containing biocide dimethylfumarate (DMF)
brass knuckles
electric stunners and batons
certain US beef hormones
counterfeit and pirated products
l Trytophane and any items having L trytophane as an ingredient
items having a flexible metal blade entirely contained in plastic, paper or fabric sheath
PCB and PCT chemicals used in transformers and condensers causing problem wastes
medical thermometers containing mercury intended for human consumption
medical products outside of the EEA
money, securities
lottery tickets and advertising
live plants and animals
immoral or obscene material.
perishable food items
products that are easily digested.
rubber erasers that are similar in appearance to food
platinum, gold or silver
seeds and beans from Egypt
stilettos
sling shots
toys and games containing copper sulfate
throwing stars
travellers cheques
whale meat
veterinary medical products.
Documentation Required
Information regarding Customs can be found in "Customs Requirements" of the Canada Postal Guide.
Document Requirements
Several different forms of documentation may be required for shipments to Finland. Exporters are required to present one commercial invoice, one bill of lading and three copies of a certificate of origin for all shipments. Other certificates are necessary for exporting pharmaceutical goods and some medical goods. Some of the documentation required may be:
Import Licenses
Importers apply for import licenses with the National board of Customs. A commercial invoice that includes freight and insurance, the C.I.F. price, net and gross weight, and an invoice number must accompany the license application. Customs accepts commercial invoices by fax.
Goods that are shipped to a Finnish customs area without proper import licenses or declarations are usually subject to considerable delay and may run up substantial demurrage charges. Prior to making shipments, exporters should ensure that the importer has obtained the necessary licenses.
Pharmaceutical Certificates - These certificates are required by Finnish Customs for drugs and certain sanitary items. A standard analysis bulletin issued by the manufacturer, listing the product composition, is acceptable for customs purposes.
Certificates of Origin - Certificates of Origin are required for the importation of any Textile products valued at over 6 Euro. Exceptions from this requirement include marked and mutilated samples; luggage made up of textile materials, canvas bags, and bona-fide gifts. A Certificate of Origin is recommended to be provided for every commodity subject to import licensing and /or quota restrictions from some origin countries and is required for all textile products imported into Finland that originate in Hong Kong, Macao, or Singapore regardless of the value.
Certificate of Origin Form A - A Certificate of Origin Form A may be required for goods under formal entry claiming preferential duty or exemption under the various agreements of Generalized System of Preferences. It should be produced at the time of entry and must be in the possession of the Importer at the time of entry. Origin of the goods must be detailed on the commercial invoice.
EUR 1 form Import - An EUR 1 form may be required for goods under formal entry claiming preferential duty or exemption under various bilateral agreements by the European Union countries and some specific countries or groups of countries. It should be produced at the time of entry and must be in possession of the Importer at the time of entry. Origin of the goods must be detailed on the commercial invoice.
Quotas - Quotas have been assigned by the European Union to specific countries for specific products, which allow for the controlled importation of specific products.
Commercial Invoices - Invoices are required for all dutiable shipments relating to commercial transactions between companies and companies, companies and individuals, regardless of the value. Commercial invoices should show freight, insurance and similar charges as separate items when applicable, regardless of the INCOTERM used on the transaction. It must be in Finnish for export shipments or accompanied by a translation. It can be in any official language for import shipments and, if required by customs, must be accompanied by a translation. A person, who is knowledgeable of the transaction, must furnish translation, if requested.
Specific invoice details are required for a number of commodities including the following:
Textiles - the fabric breakdown, whether knit or woven and, for clothing articles, the gender;
Marked/mutilated samples - the words "mutilated samples" or " marked samples, not for resale" as applicable;
Software on CD's and floppy disks - The value of software must be shown separately from software support.
Declaration of Antiquity - A declaration must be shown on the invoice for goods over 100 years old. The statement must include the words " circa date" followed by the year of manufacture whether known or estimated.
Customs Valuation
All goods categorized, as non-document commercial goods shipped to Finland must have a proper value declared and proper description provided which should convey the shipper's intent related to the goods as well as any special processing requirements that exist for the goods shipped. Everything has a value, whether or not a transaction took place. Failure to properly document value of any goods will result in delays and or additional fees as deemed necessary in addition to warehouse fees.
There are three primary types of entry for importing into Finland.
1. Standard Clearance Procedure
2. Simplified Clearance Procedure
3. Simplified Declaration Procedure
Customs Fees
Customs in some situations will assess additional fees based on the invoice provided for a shipment. The fee is usually levied if the deem them necessary as part of the terms of entry, due to the size of the shipment and the related large number of invoices provided by the shipper for his goods.