EU to charge two-euro handling fee on packages from outside bloc

The new fee is a €2 customs-handling charge on packages sent directly to EU consumers from outside the 27-nation bloc. It begins November 1 and applies regardless of the parcel’s value. The EU says it will help cover the cost of managing a rapidly growing stream of small imports, especially from China.

The charge is calculated by item type, not simply by package. Ten T-shirts count as one type and incur a €2 fee. A parcel containing two hats and 10 T-shirts contains two types, so the fee becomes €4. The charge is separate from the €3 duty already imposed on small parcels worth less than €150.

The fee is permanent, although its amount must be reviewed every two years. Online marketplaces, sellers, and intermediaries must pay it initially. They may still pass the cost along by increasing prices, so shoppers could feel its effect indirectly.

The scale is enormous: nearly six billion small packages entered the EU last year. That volume gives customs authorities a vast number of parcels to manage, even when each individual shipment is inexpensive or small. The figure helps explain why the EU is changing how these imports are handled.

China dominates this flow. Official data cited in the article show that 93% of the cheap packages arriving in Europe came from China. Many traveled through popular Asian online platforms, including AliExpress and Temu. The statistic describes the share of cheap parcels, not necessarily every package entering the EU.

This concentration is central to the EU’s response. Brussels says the influx is putting pressure on customs operations and increasing their costs. The new €2 handling fee is intended to compensate customs authorities for that work, while the separate €3 duty targets low-value parcels.

The EU says online marketplaces, sellers, and other intermediaries are responsible for paying the €2 handling fee. This includes US platforms such as Amazon and Chinese retailers such as AliExpress and Temu. The arrangement places the formal charge on businesses involved in sending or selling the goods, rather than directly billing European shoppers.

The fee can still affect consumers. Platforms and sellers are allowed to increase their prices to recover the additional cost. A shopper might therefore see a higher product price or delivery-related charge, even though the EU insists consumers will not pay the handling fee itself.

The final impact will depend on how businesses respond. Some may absorb the charge, while others may pass it through. The article does not state how much prices will rise or whether every seller will do so. The fee applies to each type of item in a package, which can increase the amount businesses must cover.

The EU says the sheer number of cheap parcels is straining customs authorities. Nearly six billion small packages entered the bloc last year, and 93% of cheap arrivals came from China. Checking, processing, and managing that flow requires more customs work, so Brussels says authorities’ costs are rising. The handling fee is designed to compensate them.

The concern is not only workload. Europe has also warned about unsafe non-EU products entering through Chinese e-commerce platforms. Toys that violate EU rules are one example mentioned in the article. A large stream of direct-to-consumer parcels can therefore create both an administrative challenge and a product-safety concern.

The response combines money and oversight. The permanent €2 handling fee supports customs operations, while the separate €3 duty applies to small parcels worth less than €150. Since that duty began in July, imports have fallen about 64%, although officials say it is too early to draw firm conclusions.

The new fee may raise online prices if platforms and sellers pass their costs to shoppers. That could make some very cheap products less attractive, especially when a parcel contains several different item types and therefore incurs multiple €2 charges. The EU says consumers will not pay the handling fee directly, but prices can still rise indirectly.

Import volumes could also decrease if higher prices reduce demand or make some shipments less worthwhile. There is already a reported signal: after the separate €3 duty was introduced in July, imports fell by around 64%. However, officials warn that it is too early to draw firm conclusions about that change.

Consumer choices may shift toward fewer low-cost imports, different sellers, or products whose prices remain competitive. The article does not quantify those effects. It does establish that online marketplaces, sellers, and intermediaries can choose how much of the new cost to absorb and how much to pass on.

The two charges have different purposes and time limits. The €2 handling fee is a permanent levy for packages from outside the EU. It is intended to compensate customs authorities for managing the parcel influx. The fee applies by item type and must be assessed every two years to ensure it remains proportional to customs-operation costs.

The €3 duty is separate. It applies to small packages worth less than €150 and is temporary. The EU introduced it in July, and it will remain in place until July 1, 2028. Unlike the handling fee, it is not described as a permanent payment for customs administration.

After that date, standard, product-specific customs tariffs will apply to these low-value imports. The article does not state the future tariff rates. The €2 handling fee is expected to continue, subject to its required two-year reviews, while the temporary €3 system ends.

When goods enter a trade bloc, customs authorities typically receive shipment information, identify the goods, assess their value and origin, check whether rules apply, and collect duties or fees. They may also inspect selected parcels and stop products that breach safety or other requirements. The source specifically links the EU fee to customs authorities’ work managing a huge parcel influx.

A duty is generally a charge on imported goods, often calculated using the goods’ value, type, or origin. A handling fee is usually meant to cover the administrative work of processing shipments. In this case, the EU’s €3 duty targets small parcels under €150, while the €2 fee supports customs operations and is calculated by item type.

Governments use such charges to raise funds, influence import volumes, and support enforcement. The article reports that imports fell around 64% after the €3 duty, but officials say it is too early for firm conclusions. These general customs functions are established background knowledge; the article itself focuses on the EU measures.