EU to introduce additional handling fee for small parcels from 1 November
Council adopts changes to the Union Customs Code; Commission to set the fee while a temporary €3 charge was flagged for shipments under €150.
The Council of the EU has approved changes to the Union Customs Code that introduce an additional handling charge for small parcels, a measure that will take effect from 1 November.
Practical effects and timing
The European Commission has not yet fixed the amount of the new fee. The Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts has warned that a temporary charge of €3 will be levied on consignments valued under €150, and that this temporary levy will come into force on 1 July 2026. Platforms outside the EU will effectively pass the cost onto the end consumer.
As part of the reform, the EU will set up a Customs Data Hub based in Lille which is scheduled to begin operations in 2027. Officials say the hub should streamline customs procedures and improve controls over shipments arriving from third countries.
EU member states pushed the reform amid growing volumes of cross-border online shopping from outside the Union and a political desire to protect domestic markets while ensuring related charges are collected.
The new rules follow the Council's adoption of the Commission's proposal for the revised customs code; implementation dates and the exact level of the handling fee will be clarified by the Commission before the measures take effect.
Photo: press material from the event
