EU Ending the €150 Duty‑Free Import Threshold: Why a €3 Parcel Fee Is Coming in 2026

The European Union is preparing one of the biggest changes to its import rules for e‑commerce in years. Beginning July 1, 2026, the bloc will abolish the long‑standing €150 “de minimis” duty exemption, meaning small parcels shipped from outside the EU will no longer enter duty‑free.

In its place, the EU plans to introduce a temporary €3 flat‑rate customs duty on low‑value parcels while a much larger digital customs system is developed. The change is intended to modernize customs enforcement and address the rapid rise in ultra‑cheap imports sold directly to European consumers online.

At the same time, the world’s largest shipping companies—DHL, FedEx, and UPS—are urging EU policymakers to roll out the reforms gradually, warning that the full regulatory package may not yet be ready for implementation.

What the EU Is Changing

For years, goods shipped directly to EU consumers from non‑EU countries worth €150 or less were exempt from customs duties, although they were still subject to VAT and customs declarations.

The EU has decided to eliminate this exemption as part of a broader customs modernization effort designed to ensure that imports are taxed more consistently and fairly.

Key elements of the reform include:

• Abolition of the €150 duty‑free threshold for imports from outside the EU.
• A temporary €3 flat‑rate customs duty applied to low‑value parcels starting July 1, 2026.
• Additional product‑level data requirements for shipments to improve tracking and compliance.

The €3 duty is meant to be a simplified interim measure while the EU builds a new centralized customs infrastructure—including an EU Customs Authority and a data hub expected around 2028.

Why Logistics Giants Want a Phased Rollout

Major carriers support the idea of collecting duties on low‑value imports, but they argue the full reform package is not operationally ready.

In a joint letter to EU finance ministers reported by Reuters, DHL, FedEx, and UPS asked policymakers to implement the reforms in stages. Their proposal: proceed with the simple €3 flat‑rate duty in 2026 but postpone more complex regulatory requirements until systems and legal frameworks are fully prepared.

The companies warn that launching all changes simultaneously could:

• Create bottlenecks at EU customs checkpoints
• Slow down parcel processing
• Disrupt time‑sensitive shipments and broader supply chains

They also warned that congestion in customs processing could affect critical shipments, including some medical supplies, if large volumes of packages are delayed at EU borders.

Why the EU Is Targeting Low‑Cost E‑Commerce Imports

One of the main motivations behind the reform is the surge in small parcels shipped directly to consumers by online marketplaces, particularly from Asia.

Platforms such as Shein and Temu have rapidly expanded in Europe using a model that ships inexpensive items individually to customers. These parcels often fall below the €150 threshold, allowing them to enter the EU without customs duties.

EU policymakers argue the exemption has:

• Given foreign sellers a pricing advantage over European retailers
• Allowed massive volumes of low‑value shipments to bypass duty collection

Removing the threshold means that every imported parcel will be subject to duty collection, even if the item itself is inexpensive.

New Data Requirements and Operational Challenges

The reform also introduces more detailed product information requirements for shipments entering the EU. Carriers and sellers will need to provide additional data—such as product classifications and identifiers—when filing customs declarations.

While intended to improve oversight, logistics companies warn that these new reporting requirements could increase processing time per parcel, especially given the enormous scale of cross‑border e‑commerce shipments entering the EU each day.

Because express carriers handle millions of parcels daily, even small increases in processing complexity could translate into system‑wide delays.

A Transitional Step Toward a New EU Customs System

The €3 duty is not the final version of the EU’s customs reform. Instead, it functions as a temporary bridge until the bloc launches its next‑generation customs framework.

The planned system will rely on:

• A centralized EU Customs Authority
• A shared EU Customs Data Hub to manage shipment data

These systems are expected to become operational around 2028, allowing the EU to move from the simplified €3 duty toward more detailed and automated customs processing for imports.

The Bottom Line

The EU’s decision to scrap the €150 duty‑free threshold marks a major shift in global e‑commerce trade rules. Starting in July 2026, low‑value parcels entering the EU will face a €3 customs duty as the bloc begins enforcing duties on shipments that were previously exempt.

But the transition is already drawing warnings from the logistics industry. Carriers support the goal of reform but argue that phasing in the changes—starting with the €3 duty—may be necessary to avoid customs congestion and supply‑chain disruption while the EU builds its long‑term digital customs infrastructure.