The €150 duty-free allowance is being abolished: New customs duty applies from July.

Small packages from non-EU countries will no longer be duty-free from July 1st. Packages valued at under €150 will be subject to a €3 duty per goods category. Socks and a teddy bear in the package? Then it's already €6.

Shipments with a value of less than EUR 150 Imports from non-EU countries will no longer be duty-free from July 1, 2026. The EU is introducing a A flat customs duty of three euros per goods category (item) in the shipment is initially levied. This applies, for example, to orders of clothing or toys from online marketplaces such as Temu or Shein. The standard tariff customs duty applies to all other shipments.

The following example is given by the tariffIf a shipment contains four pairs of socks, a one-time fee of three euros would be charged. However, if the shipment contains four pairs of socks, a plush toy, and a mobile phone charging cable, a fee of nine euros would be charged.

The flat-rate customs duty also applies to orders placed before July 1, 2026, provided the goods are imported after this date. In addition to customs duties, import VAT of 19% or 7% is payable on goods ordered from non-EU countries, as before.

Consumers do not need to worry about the processing.

Customs points out that the postal service or courier service usually handles customs clearance and pays the import duties in advance. It is also possible for the online retailer to pay the import duties. This requires that the retailer is registered in the EU VAT system and uses the Import One Stop Shop (IOSS) for declaring and paying VAT.

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Consumers should check the retailer's terms and conditions when ordering to see whether the flat-rate customs duty is already included in the sales price, or whether customs clearance is to be handled by the buyer.

Reducing competitive disadvantages for EU traders

Background: With this new regulation, the European Union is responding to existing distortions of competition within the single market. Previously, small consignments could be imported duty-free, which was particularly disadvantageous for retailers within the EU. According to customs authorities, the aim is to create fairer competitive conditions, to hold online trading platforms and retailers more accountable for the goods they offer or broker, rather than consumers, and to strengthen the EU single market.

The new customs duty differs from a "Handling fee", which is to apply in addition to the flat-rate customs duty from November 2026 at the latest.

Source: Customs

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