The EU has introduced a €3 duty on low-value goods from outside the EU

Since 1 July 2026, the EU has applied a temporary €3 customs duty to goods in consignments worth up to €150 that are sold at a distance and imported from outside the EU. It replaced the previous duty exemption for low-value consignments and is to apply until 1 July 2028. The rule concerns all countries of origin and logistics operators, not only Chinese platforms.

The €3 is charged for each goods item in a consignment under customs classification, not for every physical unit. For example, five T-shirts are one goods item and cost €3; a T-shirt and a watch in the same consignment are two items and cost €6. The declarant — normally the seller, importer, or their representative — is generally responsible for payment; consumers pay only in isolated residual cases.

The European Commission stresses that this duty should not be confused with the proposed handling fee for consignments: its amount and autumn 2026 application date have not yet been determined. From 1 November 2026, product identifiers will also become mandatory for better traceability and safety checks. The Commission explains the change by the growth of online imports: in 2025, almost 5.9 billion low-value items from third countries were shipped directly to EU consumers without customs duty.