EU adopts customs reform to increase oversight of third-country imports

The European Parliament has finalized a major reform of EU customs law, introducing stricter controls and new responsibilities for third-country digital platforms. Under the new Union Customs Code, online marketplaces from outside the EU will be treated as legal importers, making them responsible for correct declarations, customs formalities, and ensuring product safety.

To enforce these regulations, the EU will establish a central customs authority in Lille and a Customs Data Hub to centralize information and analyze risks. Non-compliance can result in sanctions ranging from 1% to 6% of the importer's total value of goods from the previous twelve months.

The reform addresses a significant gap in oversight; in 2025, approximately 5.9 billion low-value items entered the EU from third countries—a 26% increase from the previous year—yet the control rate was only 0.0082%. Additionally, starting November, a new handling fee per item will be applied to packages from third countries to further regulate cross-border e-commerce.