Filenews 11 February 2026
The Council of the European Union has approved the imposition of a minimum fee of at least €3 for each small parcel entering the European Union from a third country from 1 July, as part of new rules on customs duties.
The new rules respond to the fact that such parcels – mainly from China – currently enter the EU duty-free, leading to unfair competition for EU sellers.
"As global e-commerce flourishes, EU customs rules need to keep up. Removing the outdated exemption for small parcels will help support EU businesses and close avenues for unscrupulous sellers. Now, we need to move decisively forward on the comprehensive customs reform, which is a key piece of the puzzle to make the EU more competitive and safer," said Finance Minister Makis Keravnos, as Cyprus chairs the Council of the EU.
The agreement on Wednesday removes the relief of customs duties based on parcel costs – worth less than €150 entering the EU. Customs duties will therefore apply to all goods entering the EU once the EU Customs Data Hub – being discussed as part of a broader fundamental reform of the customs framework – becomes operational. This is currently expected in 2028.
By 2028, EU member states have agreed to introduce a temporary single duty of €3 for items contained in small parcels worth less than €150 and sent directly to consumers in the EU. From 1 July 2026, the duty will be applied to each different category of items – i.e. each different code per package – identified by their tariff subdivisions. For example, if an item is presumed to be different, with two different clothes for example in a package, then the parcel is considered to contain two separate items and a duty of €6 will have to be paid.
The new system is expected to have a positive impact on both the EU budget and national public finances, as customs duties are a traditional Union own resource and Member States retain part of these amounts as collection costs. The measure differs from the proposed so-called 'processing fee' currently being discussed under the Customs Reform Package.
CNA
