EU Customs Reform Introduces €3 Fee on All Small Commercial Parcels from July 2026

Effective 1 July 2026 the European Union will remove the low‑value exemption for non‑EU goods. Every commercial parcel sent to an EU member state will incur a €3 customs handling charge, regardless of the parcel’s value. The fee applies to both business‑to‑business and business‑to‑consumer shipments; private gifts remain exempt. Individual member states may also add national handling fees, and an EU‑wide additional handling charge is expected from November 2026, though its amount is not yet set.

The change will increase shipping costs for online retailers and consumers purchasing from platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress, whose low‑value imports previously entered duty‑free. Importers must provide more detailed electronic customs declarations, potentially leading to longer clearance times. Authorities warn of phishing scams that mimic customs notifications to extract payments. Consumers are advised to check for “Delivered Duty Paid” (DDP) terms, verify merchant registration with the Import One‑Stop Shop (IOSS), and expect higher final prices or handling fees at delivery.