EU ends duty-free treatment for low-value e-commerce imports

The European Union on Wednesday scrapped its customs duty exemption for e-commerce parcels worth under €150 ($170), introducing a €3 ($3.42) duty per item on goods ordered online from non-EU countries and shipped directly to consumers.

The measure, which took effect on July 1, is aimed at creating fairer competition for European businesses and improving consumer safety amid a sharp rise in low-value imports entering the bloc, the statement said.

According to the European Commission, nearly 5.9 billion low-value packages entered the EU in 2025 without paying customs duties, with more than 16 million parcels cleared by customs every day.

The bloc said the previous exemption was created for a period when online shopping was less common and customs systems were less digitalized, arguing that it no longer reflected current trade realities.

The EU Commission said the removal of the exemption would help level the playing field between EU retailers importing goods in bulk and large non-EU online platforms selling directly to European consumers.

Under the new system, customs duties will be collected from online platforms or businesses involved in the sale and transportation of imported goods rather than from consumers, meaning buyers will not face additional payments upon delivery.

As part of the new framework, sellers will be encouraged to provide product identifiers (PIDs) from July 1 to improve customs risk management and facilitate the detection of unsafe or non-compliant goods.

The requirement will become mandatory in November 2026.

EU authorities described the €3 charge as a temporary measure that will remain in place until 2028, when the EU Customs Data Hub is scheduled to become operational.

Once the new system is launched, imported goods will be subject to standard customs duties based on their tariff classification, origin, and value under existing EU rules.

The reform also foresees the introduction of a handling fee on imported goods by no later than Nov. 1, aimed at covering rising processing costs faced by customs authorities.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the changes, saying the surge in low-value imports had placed European retailers at an unfair disadvantage.