Overview
- The European Commission confirmed the levy will take effect on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 and will run until July 1, 2028.
- The fee is a flat €3 applied per HS code (per item type) on commercial parcels valued under €150, so mixed orders with different product types face multiple charges.
- The EU says importers are legally liable for the levy but platforms or sellers can choose to pass the cost to buyers, which risks more refused deliveries and returns.
- Additional enforcement steps include mandatory product reference data and a handling fee scheduled from November 1, 2026 to help customs process the surge in parcels.
- The measure responds to a sharp rise in small parcels entering the bloc—nearly 5.9 billion in 2025, about 90% from China—and follows inspections showing high non‑compliance rates for toys, cosmetics and PPE.