The Commission welcomes today's decision by EU Member States to introduce a €3 customs duty per item on e-commerce parcels valued below €150, starting in July 2026. The new duty will help protect the competitiveness of European businesses by levelling the playing field between e-commerce and traditional retail.
Given the rapid increase in e-commerce goods being imported into the EU, the Commission and Member States have together acknowledged the need for an urgent solution, which will bridge the gap until the setting up of the EU Customs Data Hub in 2028, as part of the EU customs reform.
The Council and the Commission are working to enable the implementation of this temporary measure, through appropriate legal amendments and by ensuring a well-functioning IT framework.
The permanent customs duty regime will apply once the EU Customs Data Hub is established. The EU Customs Data Hub will fully integrate new customs data related to e-commerce, providing customs services with a complete picture of goods entering or exiting the EU.
The temporary customs duty of €3 per item will apply to parcels sent directly to consumers from third countries. This measure is separate from the ongoing negotiation of an EU handling fee on e-commerce parcels. While the customs duty eliminates a competitive advantage that the e-commerce operators currently enjoy, the handling fee is meant to compensate for the increasing costs that customs authorities incur for supervising the very significant flow of parcels.
