Tuontiarvo

Tuontiarvo is a Finnish term used in customs that refers to the customs value of goods imported into Finland. It is the value used as the basis for calculating import duties and value-added tax (VAT), and it is declared to Finnish Customs in the import declaration. The concept aligns with World Customs Organization valuation rules applied within the EU.

The primary method to determine tuontiarvo is the transaction value method: the price actually paid or payable for the goods sold for export to the country of import, plus certain costs to bring the goods to the border and place of import. These include packaging, freight, insurance, loading and handling charges, and, where applicable, the value of assists, royalties, and license fees that are tied to the sale. In practice, tuontiarvo covers the price and the costs needed to deliver the goods to the import location, up to the border.

Costs that are not included typically relate to post-import transport (such as inland shipping within the destination country), and some taxes and charges that arise after the goods cross the border. The tuontiarvo is the basis used to compute duties and VAT, and it may be adjusted if the declared value is found to be inaccurate or if related-party transactions or other circumstances require a revaluation under customs rules.

In Finland, tuontiarvo is a central concept in customs declarations and cross-border trade. While the transaction value method is preferred, other valuation methods exist under WCO guidelines (computed, deductive, or fallback values) for cases where the transaction value cannot be established.