From1July 2026,the EU will introduce a temporary€3 customs duty on low-value parcelsimported fromoutside the EU, mainly through e-commerce. This includes a wide range of products commonly bought online, such as clothing, toys, electronics, and other consumer goodsworth up to €150.

Every day, millions of low-value parcels enter the EU. Many contain products that do not meetEU safety standardsor areundervaluedorfalsely declaredto avoid customs duties. At the same time, the current customs duty exemption gives non-EU sellers anunfair advantageover businesses that manufacture or sell products in the EU.

The new duty will apply per item, based on tariff classification and not quantity. In practice, this means

The seller or importer will be responsible for declaring and paying the dutyas part of the customs process.

The new measure will help createfairer competition for EU businesses, betterprotect consumers from unsafe products, tacklecustomsfraud, and addressenvironmental concernsover mass shipping.

The EU is working to modernise customs procedures to strengthen the single market and ensure that all businesses selling into the EU compete on equal terms while meeting the EU's safety and compliance standards.

Press release: customs duties on small parcels