Following the US Administration’s lead, which removed the $800 de minimis threshold last year, the EU will, from 1 July 2026, introduce a temporary €3 customs duty on low-value parcels imported from outside the EU, mainly through e-commerce. This includes a wide range of products commonly bought online, such as clothing, toys, electronics, and other consumer goods worth up to €150.
Every day, millions of low-value parcels enter the EU. Many contain products that do not meet EU safety standards or are undervalued or falsely declared to avoid customs duties. At the same time, the current customs duty exemption gives non-EU sellers an unfair advantage over businesses that manufacture or sell products in the EU.
The new duty will apply per item, based on tariff classification and not quantity. In practice, this means:
- if you buy 5 T-shirts, a €3 customs duty will be applied (as all T-shirts fall under the same tariff classification)
- if you buy 3 T-shirts and a watch, a €6 customs duty will be applied (as the T-shirts and the watch fall under two different tariff classifications)
- The seller or importer will be responsible for declaring and paying the duty as part of the customs process.
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 modernize 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.
The original press release from the European Commission on December 11th, 2025, can be found here: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_3045
As always, Logistics Plus is here to support you through this process and any other trade compliance changes.
