The EU has introduced a temporary €3 ($3.42) customs duty on parcels worth up to €150 imported from outside the bloc through e-commerce platforms, effective 1 July 2026.
The duty covers a broad range of items frequently purchased online, including clothing, toys, electronics and other consumer products.
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Rather than being calculated per item, the charge is based on tariff classification.
For instance, an order of five T-shirts would incur a single €3 charge, since they share the same classification, whereas an order containing three T-shirts and a watch would attract €6, as the two items fall under separate classifications.
Responsibility for declaring and paying the duty during customs clearance lies with the seller or importer.
According to the EU, the measure tackles multiple issues including the entry of goods that fail to meet the bloc’s safety requirements or are undervalued or mis-declared to sidestep customs charges.
It noted that the earlier duty-free threshold for low-value parcels had put EU-based manufacturers and retailers at a disadvantage compared with sellers based outside the bloc.
The duty is part of a broader push by the EU to overhaul customs processes, with the aim of reinforcing the single market and ensuring that companies selling into the bloc operate under the same conditions while adhering to its safety and compliance requirements.
In its statement, the European Commission said: “The new measure will help create fairer competition for EU businesses, better protect consumers from unsafe products, tackle customs fraud and address environmental concerns over 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.”
In April, France’s consumer protection body, the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control, reported that 75% of products it examined from leading e-commerce platforms in 2025 failed to meet EU standards.
The authority stated that it had examined more than 600 products sourced from seven overseas online marketplaces during the year, a threefold increase on the volume assessed in prior years.
Of these, 75% were found to be non-compliant, while 46% were both non-compliant and hazardous.
