- From July 2026, the EU plans a flat EUR 3 customs duty per shipment on low-value parcels (goods under EUR 150) from non-EU countries.
- The goal is to create fairer competition between EU sellers and foreign online platforms/suppliers, which currently pay import VAT but no customs duty on such small consignments.
- The measure is a temporary solution until the EU customs data hub launches a fully digital customs system in 2028.
- The duty applies to direct shipments to EU consumers, and the importer/declarant is generally responsible for paying it.
- An additional EU processing fee is also being considered to cover handling costs for large volumes of small parcels.
Source: global.ecovis.com
Note that this post was (partially) written with the help of AI. It is always useful to review the original source material, and where needed to obtain (local) advice from a specialist.
