Overview
- The European Union confirmed a new €2 Union Handling Fee that will be applied to each customs-recorded item imported from outside the EU starting 1 November 2026.
- The fee is charged per ordered item (per customs tariff line) and is added on top of a separate €3 temporary flat customs charge that has applied to low-value consignments since July 2026.
- Authorities expect transport providers, sellers or online platforms to handle the fee administratively, but those businesses may pass the cost on to shoppers through higher prices or shipping fees.
- Per-item charging can sharply raise costs for very cheap goods because the fee is independent of item value; simple examples show multiple small items in one shipment can trigger several fees and quickly erode savings.
- Logistics providers and platforms are already changing routes and using more EU warehousing to avoid repeated third-country import charges, with the temporary €3 regime due to be replaced by a digital e‑commerce customs system planned for mid-2028.