Humanitarian aid shipments to Ukraine exempt from customs duties, taxes and postage
Humanitarian aid shipments to Ukraine from outside the European Union, sent to the POL-CEL warehouse in Chełm until June 30th of this year, will not be subject to customs duties, taxes, or postage in Poland. The creation of preferential terms for handling parcels carrying aid to the attacked neighbor, which pass through a Polish intermediary, was made possible thanks to agreements between Poczta Polska and the Ministry of Finance.
The Ukrainian Post Office has informed the association of European public postal operators, PostEurop, about the launch of a special project, HELP UKRAINE, and a green corridor organized to deliver humanitarian aid to the war-torn country. Ukrainian postal workers have designated the Polish agency POL-CEL as the recipient of the parcels, which will then be delivered to those in need. Famous British musician Sting, among others, has appealed to his fans to send parcels containing the most essential items for the people of Ukraine.
Thanks to the decision of the Polish Post management, humanitarian aid shipments arriving from countries outside the European Union to the POL-CEL warehouse, intended for aid to Ukraine, will be free of postage until June 30 this year.
Free service for the recipient of parcels to Ukraine will be possible after correctly addressing the parcels: POL-CEL, ul. Rampa Brzeska 63, 22-100 Chełm, marking them with the slogan "Help Ukraine" and indicating the content – type of assistance.
It is worth recalling that, in accordance with applicable regulations, shipments containing goods originating from third countries arriving in Poland are subject to customs duties and taxes charged by the National Revenue Administration and a postal fee for submitting a customs declaration.
Poczta Polska has been supporting Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian aggression. In agreement with the Ukrainian Post, Poczta Polska assumed, among other roles, the Ukrainian operator's liaison in international postal traffic. The company also joined the government's program to assist its attacked neighbor. The national postal operator provided appropriate state structures with, among other things, its accommodation facilities in postal training and recreation centers (which have already housed nearly 200 refugees) and a staff hostel, vehicles for transporting Ukrainian citizens from the border to a location in Poland designated by crisis management teams, and for transports to the Government Agency for Strategic Reserves. Poczta Polska also expressed its willingness to offer refugees jobs, including many positions that do not require knowledge of the Polish language.
Polish Post employees are also demonstrating solidarity with Ukraine. Postal drivers mark their cars with a symbolic sign behind their windshields, displaying the slogan #SolidarniZUkrainą and the Ukrainian flag. Postal workers are also demonstrating support for Ukraine on their personal social media profiles.