Newsroom
Starting 1 July 2026, small parcels entering the European Union will be subject to a flat customs fee of €3, a measure aimed at regulating the surge in low-value shipments from overseas e-commerce platforms. Retailers like Temu and Shein, known for selling inexpensive goods, are expected to be most affected.
EU member states reached the agreement on Friday, targeting parcels valued under €150. The charge will be applied per shipment rather than per item. For instance, a single parcel containing multiple products will incur just one €3 fee, whereas multiple parcels sent separately will each be taxed individually.
“This decision is crucial to maintaining fair competition at our borders in the era of rapidly expanding e-commerce,” said EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič.
The move comes in response to a dramatic rise in low-value imports. In 2024, the EU received around €4.6 billion worth of goods under €150, averaging 12 million parcels per day, a sharp increase from €2.3 billion in 2023 and €1.4 billion in 2022, according to European Commission figures.
Currently, small parcels under €150 benefit from a customs exemption, but the EU plans to remove this relief. The €3 fee is a temporary measure until a long-term solution for eliminating the duty-free threshold is established.
