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EU sets minimum customs duty for orders worth under 150 euros entering from countries outside the Union
Cheap online purchases from platforms outside the European Union, such as Temu and Shein, will officially become more expensive from July 1, 2026. According to a new regulation signed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, packages worth under 150 euros will be subject to a minimum customs fee of 3 euros.
Until now, shipments worth up to €150 entering the EU from third countries were exempt from import duties. This regime is set to change as the European Union aims to curb the significant increase in the number of small, low-cost packages entering the European market.
The measure mainly affects orders from Chinese and Asian platforms, but is not limited to these companies.
The tariff will not be imposed per package, but per product category it contains. For example, if a package contains two products that are classified in different customs categories, such as a silk blouse and a wool blouse, the total tariff will be 6 euros.
Examples of new cost:
A product worth 5 euros: the cost comes to 8 euros before VAT.
A product worth 20 euros: the cost comes to 23 euros before VAT.
Five different products with a total value of 20 euros: the cost comes to 35 euros before VAT (3 euros for each product).
Several units of the same product: the tariff may remain 3 euros if considered as a single customs category.
The temporary tariff of 3 euros will apply to any category of products included in a small package entering the European Union from July 1, 2026 to July 1, 2028. European authorities may extend this period if they deem it necessary.
The European Commission foresees that, once the new EU customs data hub is operational, this temporary tariff will be replaced by normal customs duties.
According to European Commission data, the number of small packages arriving in the EU has doubled every year since 2022. In 2024, 4.6 billion such shipments entered the European market. Around 91% of them came from China, mainly through Temu, Shein and other low-cost platforms.
The European Commission also estimates that 65% of these shipments are intentionally declared with a lower customs value to avoid paying duties.
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