Overview
- The European Union put a temporary €3 customs levy into force on July 1, 2026 for parcels valued at €150 or less entering the 27-nation bloc.
- The fee is charged per customs classification (per HS code), so mixed orders with different item types incur multiple €3 charges rather than a single parcel fee.
- France suspended its own national small-parcel tax when the EU rule began, and major platforms and carriers are shifting to prepaid duty at checkout and more EU warehousing to limit disruption.
- Consumers and sellers face new costs and risks because carriers may collect unpaid charges plus administration fees, customs duties on returned goods are generally non-refundable, and fraudsters may try to exploit confusion.
- The EU will require stronger parcel data from November 1, 2026 and plans a handling fee later in 2026, with the €3 measure set to be replaced by category-specific duties when the new EU customs framework starts on July 1, 2028.