For goods imported into the customs territory of the European Union (EU) from third countries, a customs value is determined when the customs declaration is made. The customs value reflects the value of the goods upon entry into the customs territory of the Union. It has a decisive influence on how high the import duties are for the imported goods.

In addition to the invoice price of the goods, the customs value may also include or exclude the following components:

• additions and/or
• deductions and/or
• split-off purchase price components

Additions are costs that are not included in the invoice price of the goods but are also paid by the buyer. These include, for example

• transportation costs
• insurance costs
• license fees

Deductions are payments that the buyer makes by paying the invoice price for the goods, but which are not included in the customs value. These include, for example

• Transportation costs for the transport of goods after crossing the border into the customs territory of the European Union
• Costs for construction, erection and assembly of the goods (e.g. industrial plants) after importation

In some cases, the purchase price of goods is made up of several components. Then, in addition to the costs for the goods, costs for the seller's activities in connection with the delivery of the goods are also due. These activities are called "split-off purchase price components". Examples are

• Certification and analysis costs (costs for goods testing to ensure that the imported goods meet contractually stipulated safety standards and quality requirements) or,
• Advertising costs (e.g. costs for the creation of advertisements and TV and radio spots)

If additions, deductions and split-off purchase price components cannot be finally determined at the time of the customs declaration, lump sums can be used as an alternative. The lump sums are then included in the customs value instead of the exact amounts or are not included in the customs value. In this case, we speak of simplifications. These simplifications only apply to a customs valuation using the transaction value method. If you wish to make use of this, you must submit an application.