Germany eliminates 150-euro customs exemption for non-EU imports

As of July 1, 2026, the previous customs exemption limit of 150 euros for small shipments from non-EU countries has been abolished. This means all packages arriving from third countries, such as China, the USA, or the UK, are now subject to customs duties regardless of their value.

For e-commerce shipments valued under 150 euros, a temporary flat-rate customs duty of 3 euros per product category per package will apply until June 30, 2028. For shipments exceeding 150 euros, standard individual customs duties continue to apply.

Import VAT, typically 19 percent in Germany, remains mandatory for all imports and is unaffected by the removal of the customs threshold. Additionally, courier and parcel services like DHL, UPS, and FedEx may charge extra service fees for customs processing.