The EU Council has agreed to introduce a fixed customs duty of €3 on small parcels valued under €150entering the EU, effective 1 July 2026. The measure targets goods largely shipped via e-commerce, which currently enter the EU duty free. The €3 duty will apply per individual item within a shipment, based on tariff classification, and will remain in place until a previously agreed permanent framework for low-value parcels takes effect. From 1 July 2026, the duty will apply to all qualifying goods where non-EU sellers are registered under the EU’s Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) for VAT. The Council also clarified that this customs duty is separate from the proposed “handling fee” currently being discussed as part of broader EU customs reform and budget negotiations.

APC Postal Logistics will continue to closely monitor this development and will be ready to go live when the new requirements take effect in July 2026.