Overview
- The new €2 processing fee takes effect on 1 November and will apply to every distance‑sales shipment from non‑EU countries regardless of value.
- The charge is added to a €3 small‑parcel tax introduced on 1 July, so affected shipments can incur up to €5 per customs product category declared in a parcel.
- Fees are payable by platforms, sellers or their intermediaries and cannot legally be billed directly to consumers, though merchants may raise prices to pass the cost on.
- Early data show a sharp fall in small‑parcel flows since July, with France’s economy ministry reporting a 30–40% drop and other figures citing about 64%, while Brussels urges caution on short‑term conclusions.
- The measures aim to finance stepped‑up customs checks against unsafe or counterfeit goods and to reshape incentives; the €2 fee will be reviewed every two years and the €3 levy will end in July 2028 when small parcels face standard EU duties.