How the export restrictions work
All the bans are in EU Council Regulation No 833/2014. Three parts of it matter to a traveller: Annex XVIII — luxury goods that cannot be exported above a certain price; Annex XXIII — goods that cannot be exported at all, whatever they cost; and Article 5i — the ban on taking euro and other EU-currency banknotes.
Every passenger and every bag goes through customs on the way out to Russia at each of the three crossings: Narva, Koidula and Luhamaa. A banned item that is found will not be let across the border.
Someone else's opinion does not replace customs' decision
- The seller, the carrier or a fellow traveller does not decide whether an item can go — customs does.
- If the same item was let through last time, that guarantees nothing next time.
- A price below €300 lifts the ban only on luxury goods. Annex XXIII goods have no price threshold.
Luxury goods: the ban starts at a certain price
Annex XVIII items cannot be taken out if a single item costs more than the threshold. Each unit counts, not the whole purchase: three jumpers at €120 each may go, a coat for €400 may not.
| What | Banned if a single item costs more than |
|---|---|
| Clothing, footwear, bags, jewellery, watches, gold coins, perfume and cosmetics, alcohol, porcelain and tableware, sports equipment | €300 |
| Household appliances | €750 |
| Digital photo and video cameras, audio and video equipment | €1,000 |
| Musical instruments | €1,500 |
| Motorcycles | €5,000 |
Thresholds as given by EMTA. Phones, monitors and TVs, however, are in Annex XXIII, which has no threshold: a cheap item is not necessarily allowed.
What you cannot take at any price
Annex XXIII goods are banned from export to Russia regardless of value — including as a gift or "to pass on to friends". The groups below are examples. What decides is not the shop name but the item's code in the EU Combined Nomenclature (CN): the exact list is in the annex itself.
Banned with no price threshold
- Communications and screens: phones and smartphones, monitors and TVs.
- Drones and their parts.
- For the car: car parts and tyres.
- Chemicals: paints, varnishes and other chemicals.
- Building and home: building materials, furniture, timber, fabrics.
- Plants: live plants, seedlings, bulbs.
- Vehicles: cars and other motor vehicles, boats and other vessels.
These are the groups EMTA names. Annex XXIII itself is considerably wider — it also covers other equipment, tools and materials. If an item is not on this list, that does not mean it can go: check its code.
Personal belongings: what customs treats as yours
The ban does not apply to things you use yourself: your smartphone, bag, coat, the laptop you cannot travel without. The customs officer decides case by case, looking at the quantity, the length of the trip and the items themselves. An item counts as yours if it:
- belongs to you and you need it on this trip;
- is taken in a reasonable quantity that fits the purpose and length of the trip;
- is not meant for sale, as a gift or to be handed over, and will not stay in Russia.
When "personal" will not be believed
- Several new devices of the same kind.
- Items in factory packaging, with tags.
- Items clearly taken as a present or on someone's request.
- Several new items from the sanctions lists at once.
One more thing: the exemption does not apply if personal belongings are just a way to carry a sanctioned item.
How not to lose your own things at the border
- Do not carry new sanctioned items for family and friends — that is not personal.
- Do not take several identical devices.
- Keep receipts for expensive items.
- Be ready to switch on your phone or laptop and show that you use it yourself.
- In doubt — ask customs in writing before the trip.
Cash: euros and other EU currencies
EU-currency banknotes cannot be taken to Russia
Euros, Polish zloty, Hungarian forint, Czech, Danish and Swedish krona, Romanian lei and the other official currencies of EU countries.
There is one exception: money for personal expenses on this trip — yours and those of family members travelling with you. There is no threshold for this amount, so you will have to justify it: for example, with a hotel booking and a travel plan. A better exchange rate in Russia is not a justification, and money for friends and relatives does not fall under the exception.
Non-EU currencies — US dollars, Swiss francs, pounds, roubles — are not affected by this ban. The safest option is to travel with them and change euros in advance, while still in Estonia.
- Amounts from €10,000 in any currency must be declared when leaving the EU.
- On entering Russia, cash above the equivalent of $10,000 must also be declared.
What else needs a permit to export
Besides the sanctions lists, the usual EU export rules apply. Some goods need a permit and a written declaration:
- medicines — for yourself, in the original packaging; strong and narcotic ones — with a prescription or a doctor's certificate;
- cultural goods, antiques and works of art;
- rare animals and plants and products made from them — under the CITES convention;
- pets — under veterinary rules;
- narcotic, radioactive and other dangerous substances.
Allowances on the Russian side
After Estonian customs comes Russian customs. For goods carried across the land border, by car or on foot, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) allowances apply:
| What | Duty-free, per person |
|---|---|
| Goods for personal use | up to €500 and up to 25 kg |
| Alcohol, including beer (from age 18) | up to 3 l; 3 to 5 l — with duty of €10 per litre above the allowance |
| Tobacco (from age 18) | 200 cigarettes, or 50 cigars and cigarillos, or 250 g of tobacco |
| Cash | more than the equivalent of $10,000 — written declaration |
The €200 limit in force since 1 April 2024 applies to parcels and deliveries, not to things you carry across the border yourself.
What happens if you carry banned goods
| Value of the goods or money | Liability in Estonia |
|---|---|
| up to €10,000 | misdemeanour: fine of up to €2,400 or detention |
| €10,000.01 and more | criminal case, up to five years in prison |
Goods and money can be confiscated.
If a banned item is found before you cross, you will not be let out with it: you can leave it in Estonia or hand it over to the state voluntarily right at the checkpoint. Wrongly stating an item or its code carries a separate fine of up to 300 fine units or detention.
How to check an item before the trip
- Find out the item's exact name, model, material and purpose.
- Look up its CN code in the TARIC database or ask customs.
- Compare the code with Annexes XVIII and XXIII of Regulation No 833/2014: both the price thresholds and the outright bans.
- Collect receipts, a description and anything showing that you use the item yourself.
- Still unsure — write to EMTA at tolliinfo@emta.ee and take the answer with you.
FAQ
Can I take my own smartphone and laptop to Russia?
Yes, if they are your own things in normal use and you need them on the trip. New devices in their packaging, several identical ones or ones bought as gifts — no: phones and smartphones are on the list of goods banned from export at any price.
How many euros can I take from Estonia to Russia?
Only for personal expenses on this trip — yours and those of family travelling with you. There is no threshold, so you will have to justify the amount, for example with a hotel booking. A better exchange rate is not a reason. It is safer to carry dollars, francs or roubles.
Can I take presents to relatives in Russia?
Not if the present is on the sanctions lists. An item that will stay with other people does not count as personal, even if it is a single cheap one.
If an item costs less than €300, can I take it out?
Only if it is a luxury item from Annex XVIII. Annex XXIII goods — phones, monitors, drones, car parts, tyres, building materials — have no price threshold at all.
What happens if customs finds a banned item?
You will not be let out with it: you can take it back into Estonia or hand it over to the state voluntarily. A breach worth up to €10,000 carries a fine of up to €2,400 or detention; above that it is a criminal case. The goods are confiscated.
Sources
- EMTA: from Estonia to a third country — sanctions, euros, liability
- kriis.ee: travelling from Estonia to Russia
- Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 on EUR-Lex
- TARIC — look up a goods code
- Eurasian Economic Commission: EAEU duty-free allowances (in Russian)
This is a guide, not legal advice. Sanctions lists and allowances change — check the EMTA website before every trip, and ask customs in writing about any item you are unsure of.