EU’s new levy on parcels kicks in

On November 1, the European Union introduced a €2 handling fee for parcels shipped from outside the 27-nation bloc, aimed at reducing the influx of goods from China. This fee, added to the existing €3 duty on small packages valued under €150, will be applied to each item within a package sent directly to consumers from outside the EU, irrespective of the parcel's total value. For instance, an order containing 10 T-shirts would incur a €2 fee, while a package with two hats and ten T-shirts would be charged €4.

The new levy comes as Europe anticipates a surge in Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas shopping. It is designed to alleviate the strain on customs authorities, who are grappling with the increasing volume of imports. Nearly six billion small packages entered the EU in 2025, with 93 percent of these originating from China, often through platforms like AliExpress and Temu.

The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) expressed concern over the potential for online retailers to pass these additional costs onto consumers at the final stages of a purchase, which would be illegal under EU law. BEUC urged that the full price should be transparent from the outset.

Since the introduction of the €3 duty, imports have decreased by approximately 64 percent. However, officials caution that it is premature to draw definitive conclusions. The EU also expressed concern over "unsafe" non-EU products, such as toys that do not comply with the bloc's regulations, arriving via Chinese e-commerce platforms.

The €2 handling fee is a permanent charge, while the €3 duty on low-value packages remains a temporary measure until July 1, 2028. After this date, standard customs tariffs will apply. The EU is committed to reassessing the handling fee's amount every two years to ensure it remains proportional to the cost of customs operations within the bloc.