The European Union is preparing to introduce a €2 handling fee on shipments arriving from outside the bloc on November 1, adding another cost for cross-border e-commerce as part of its ongoing customs reform. With the measure due to take effect in 12 days, importers, online retailers and logistics operators face further changes to the way goods enter the European market.
The upcoming fee follows the end of the EU’s de minimis duty exemptions for low-value goods on July 1, when a €3 charge on low-value goods entering the Union was also introduced. Together, the measures form part of a broader effort to strengthen customs controls and reshape the flow of international e-commerce shipments.
The new €2 charge will apply to all distance sales entering the EU. It will be calculated per item line rather than per parcel, meaning a shipment containing several different product lines could incur multiple charges.
Customs data requirements are also changing. Product Identifier (PID) information will be requested for all expedited shipments from October 26, adding another compliance requirement shortly before the handling fee comes into force.
Changes already affecting European e-commerce flows
The EU’s revised approach is intended to encourage businesses to consolidate shipments into larger consignments, which customs authorities can inspect more efficiently, rather than relying on high volumes of individual small parcels.
According to the European Parliament, the measures introduced in July and those scheduled for November are designed to incentivise bulk shipments entering the Union. They are also intended to encourage sellers based outside the EU to establish warehousing operations within the bloc.
Early market data suggest that the changes introduced in July have already affected parcel traffic. In August, Euronews reported that, according to France’s Ministry of Economy, the number of small parcels imported into the EU had fallen by between 30% and 40% during the first two months following the legislative change.
The reported decline is consistent with market data indicating similar trends at European air cargo hubs, many of which handle substantial volumes of e-commerce shipments. Further adjustments to Asia–Europe transport lanes are expected as retailers, carriers and logistics providers adapt their operations to the changing cost and regulatory environment.
Vanesa Hernandez Guerrero, head of the customs legislation unit in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union, has defended the new charge. Speaking to Borderlex, she described the customs tax as “commensurate” with the requirements of the customs code.
EU customs reform extends beyond the new fee
The November handling charge is one element of a wider overhaul of the European customs system. Earlier this year, the EU agreed on plans to establish a new EU Customs Authority in Lille, France, with the authority scheduled to become operational in 2027.
The bloc’s Customs Data Hub is also planned to begin handling e-commerce shipments from 2028. The initiative forms part of the EU’s longer-term effort to modernise customs procedures and improve the management of incoming goods.
Welcoming the decision to locate the new authority in Lille, the European Parliament’s rapporteur on the file said the agreement represented a milestone for the European Customs Union.
“Today marks a milestone for the European Customs Union. In a joint decision, Parliament and Council have selected Lille, France, as the home of the new EU Customs Authority. It is the right choice. France is one of Europe’s leading customs nations; one in three parcels entering the EU passes through French territory. Lille’s strategic location at the crossroads of Europe makes it the natural hub for this authority. This sends a clear signal: France will be central to the future of our customs union.”
As the November 1 deadline approaches, the combination of new charges, additional data requirements and longer-term institutional changes signals a significant shift in how the EU manages low-value imports. E-commerce sellers and their logistics partners will need to account for the additional costs and compliance obligations while reassessing how they organise shipments destined for European consumers.
