From July 1, 2026, the European Union abolishes the duty exemption for parcels worth up to 150 euros and introduces a temporary fixed fee of 3 euros for each tariff subheading in the customs declaration. This was reported by the Director of Legal Affairs of "Nova Poshta" Olga Kalnytska, reports UNN.
Details
According to her, the new rules are provided for by EU Council Regulation (EU) 2026/382, adopted on February 11, 2026, and will be in effect until July 1, 2028.
Kalnytska explained that the fee will be charged not based on the number of goods in a parcel, but for each separate tariff subheading specified in the customs declaration.
The key thing to understand: the fee is tied to a separate tariff subheading in the declaration, not to the number of units of goods. In a typical case, a batch of identical cotton T-shirts will be declared as one tariff subheading and will incur one fee - 3 euros, regardless of the number of pieces. But a cotton T-shirt and a polyester T-shirt are already two different tariff subheadings, 6 euros. A smartphone, a charger, and headphones may be classified under three different tariff subheadings, which would mean 9 euros in duty
According to the expert, the innovation means that correct customs classification of goods becomes critically important, as errors can lead to additional costs, delays during customs clearance, and payment adjustments.
She also recommended that exporters review delivery terms (Incoterms) regarding the distribution of costs between parties. In the case of using the IOSS system, responsibility for declaring and paying the new temporary duty will generally lie with the IOSS registration holder - the seller or the electronic marketplace.
Separately, Kalnytska noted that the European Union is also discussing the introduction of an additional Union handling fee to cover the costs of customs processing of shipments, but its amount and effective date have not yet been officially determined.
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