The European Union will introduce a €2 handling fee on packages arriving from outside the 27-nation bloc from November 1, in a move designed to curb the flood of low-cost goods coming in from China.
The new levy arrives just weeks before the busy Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas shopping periods. It will be charged on top of the EU’s existing €3 fee on small parcels.
The €2 fee applies to each type of item in a package sent directly to a consumer from outside the EU, whatever the value of the parcel. A package holding 10 T-shirts will be charged €2. A package containing two hats and 10 T-shirts will be charged €4, because it contains two types of item.
The handling fee is separate from the €3 customs duty, which has applied since July to small packages worth less than €150.
The EU insists that European consumers will not pay the handling fee directly. Online marketplaces, sellers and other intermediaries must pay it. That includes US platforms such as Amazon and Chinese retailers such as AliExpress and Temu. However, platforms and sellers are free to raise their prices, which means the extra cost could still be passed on to shoppers. Reports say non-EU platforms are also becoming directly responsible for customs formalities, including submitting data and paying duties.
Nearly six billion small packages entered the EU last year, according to official data. About 93% of the cheap parcels arriving in Europe came from China, usually through popular Asian platforms such as AliExpress and Temu.
Brussels says this volume is putting growing strain on customs authorities and raising their costs. The handling fee is meant to compensate them for the work involved in processing the parcels. European officials have also voiced concern about “unsafe” products, such as toys that break EU rules, reaching the bloc through Chinese e-commerce platforms.
Since the €3 duty began in July, imports have fallen by around 64%, according to AFP, although officials warn that it is too early to draw firm conclusions. Other reports citing French customs put the fall in small-parcel imports at between 30% and 40% since July 1.
The fee comes from the EU’s wider customs reform. The new Union Customs Code, Regulation (EU) 2026/2108, was published on September 19. The European Commission adopted the €2 amount on September 21. The European Parliament and the Council had 30 days to object, and the fee was expected to apply from November 1 provided neither did. Product identifiers also become mandatory from November 1, and the EU Customs Data Hub becomes mandatory for e-commerce imports.
The €2 handling fee is permanent. The €3 duty on low-value packages is only a temporary measure, in place until July 1, 2028. From that date, standard customs tariffs specific to each product will apply instead. The EU will also have to review the size of the handling fee every two years, to make sure it stays in proportion to the cost of customs operations in the bloc.
For Irish and European shoppers, the practical effect will depend on how platforms respond. If sellers pass the costs on, the price of small items bought online from outside the EU could rise just as the pre-Christmas rush begins.
