The European Union will introduce a temporary €3 customs duty on low-value parcels imported from outside the bloc from 1 July, in an attempt to improve product safety and allow EU sellers to compete on equal terms.

The new charge will apply to online purchases worth up to €150, covering products such as clothing, toys, consumer electronics, and other goods commonly sold through ecommerce marketplaces.

The European Commission said the measure addresses growing concerns over the scale of low-value parcels entering the EU each day, many of which are deliberately cheap to avoid custom charges and contain products that are not compliant with EU safety standards.

Under the new rules, the duty will apply according to a product's tariff classification rather than the number of individual items purchased. For example, an order containing five T-shirts will incur a single €3 charge, while an order containing T-shirts and a watch will attract a €6 duty because the products fall into different tariff categories.

The responsibility for declaring and paying the customs duty will sit with the seller or importer as part of the customs process.

The European Commission said the measure aims to remove an unfair advantage currently enjoyed by some non-EU online sellers, who have benefited from customs exemptions on low-value imports while competing with retailers operating within the EU.

The new measure will also address environmental concerns over mass shipping.
The EU said it is working to modernise customs procedures to strengthen the single market and ensure that all businesses selling into the EU compete on equal terms, while meeting the EU's safety and compliance standards.

“Every day, millions of low-value parcels enter the EU,” the Commission said in a statement. “Many contain products that do not meet EU safety standards or are undervalued or falsely declared to avoid customs duties.

“At the same time, the current customs duty exemption gives non-EU sellers an unfair advantage over businesses that manufacture or sell products in the EU.”

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