5:39 2 July 2026
Parcels face duty
From July 1, the European Union has abolished the customs exemption for low-value e-commerce imports, replacing it with a temporary €3 customs duty on goods worth up to €150 shipped directly from outside the bloc. The measure is aimed at creating fairer competition for European retailers while addressing the surge in low-cost imports from platforms such as Temu, Shein and AliExpress.
The duty is applied to each customs tariff category within a shipment and will remain in force until July 2028, when a broader overhaul of the EU customs system is expected to take effect. While the European Commission says online marketplaces will bear the immediate cost, higher prices for consumers are widely anticipated. The reform is also intended to curb customs fraud, improve product safety oversight and reduce the flood of billions of low-value parcels entering the EU each year.
