Smartphones will be imported into Ukraine under new rules: what this means for buyers

Rules for importing mobile phones into Ukraine are changing. Now, during customs processing, the IMEI code for each device must be specified. The corresponding order has already been signed by the Ministry of Finance and registered by the Ministry of Justice. This was reported by the head of the Bureau of Economic Security, Oleksandr Tsyvinsky, as cited by GSMinfo. IMEI is a unique identifier for every mobile phone. Previously, this code was not specified during customs clearance, so imported phones were not tied to specific devices in the documents. The new rules require that every imported phone be linked to its IMEI even at the border crossing. At first glance, this is a technical change, but it has significant practical implications. Tying devices to IMEI will greatly complicate widespread “gray” schemes, where documents declare one quantity or model of phones, but actually imported are different. If each device has a recorded identifier, concealing the true volume of imports will become much harder. According to BEEU (Bureau of Economic Security), the new mechanism could provide the state budget with more than 5 billion hryvnias in additional revenues each year. According to Oleksandr Tsyvinsky, the initiative was preliminarily agreed with the Ministry of Finance, the State Customs Service, and the largest legal networks selling electronics. This means that official sellers already operating within the legal framework will have fairer competitive conditions. IMEI fixation during customs processing is only the first stage. The next step that the Bureau calls for is reflecting IMEI of mobile phones in fiscal receipts. The bureau is already working on this mechanism jointly with the Ministry of Finance and the State Tax Service. If this system is implemented, the path of every phone—from import into Ukraine to sale to the buyer—will be fully traceable. For ordinary consumers, the innovation does not create additional procedures, as the changes primarily concern importers and sellers. At the same time, a more transparent market should reduce the risk of buying a legally imported phone without an official warranty. The effective date of the new rules will depend on the official publication of the order. As FACTS reported, military personnel are planned to be allowed duty-free import of cars from abroad without the right to sell them.