New handling fee on low-value imports

The European Commission has established a two-euro handling fee per item on online purchases imported into the European Union from non-EU countries. The charge applies to small e-commerce consignments, primarily targeting goods shipped from third countries such as China and the United States. This handling fee operates as a distinct administrative levy to help national customs authorities offset the processing, risk analysis, and inspection expenses generated by low-value parcel deliveries. The measure builds upon the three-euro flat customs duty that took effect on 1 July 2026, following the removal of the 150-euro duty-free import threshold. Together, both levies raise the baseline cost of importing inexpensive retail products directly to European addresses.

Handling fee (from Nov 2026)2

Flat customs duty (from Jul 2026)3

Handling fee (from Nov 2026)

2 EUR

Flat customs duty (from Jul 2026)

3 EUR

Data from the article text

Regulatory timeline and platform liability

The European Commission formally outlined the two-euro amount in a delegated act published on 21 September 2026. The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union hold a 30-day window from notification to review the measure and raise any formal objections. In the absence of objections, the delegated act will appear in the Official Journal of the European Union and take effect ten days after publication. This procedural schedule sets the operational start date for 1 November 2026, aligning with the updated Union Customs Code under Regulation 2026/2108. Under this regulatory framework, the fee will not be collected directly from consumers at doorstep delivery. Instead, financial liability rests with the digital platforms and operators that sell or facilitate distance sales, including Shein, Temu, AliExpress, and Amazon.

Parcel volumes and non-compliance rates

European customs authorities faced an expanding volume of cross-border shipments before introducing these financial measures. In 2025, customs offices across the European Union processed 5.9 billion low-value e-commerce items, representing a fourfold increase compared to levels recorded in 2022. Chinese suppliers accounted for 90% of those small consignments. Physical and administrative inspections conducted throughout the 27 member states in 2025 showed that more than 60% of examined items failed to comply with European safety and regulatory standards. The European Commission designed the two-euro handling fee to correspond to the estimated administrative costs required to clear distance-sold merchandise for free circulation within the single market.

Early national impacts and future reforms

Individual member states have already reported shifts in parcel volumes following the introduction of the three-euro customs duty in July 2026. Italian Customs Agency director Roberto Alesse noted that the initial duty generated 83 million euros for the Italian treasury during its first two months in force. That revenue collection coincided with a 39% reduction in Italian import volumes compared to the preceding two-month period. In France, the Ministry of Economy reported import reductions of up to 40% for small parcels in the opening weeks under the three-euro duty. Further structural changes will follow in subsequent years. A dedicated European Union Customs Authority will begin operating in Lille in 2027, ahead of a centralized digital processing platform scheduled for 2028 that will subject all incoming imports to customs duties from the first euro.