The European Union will introduce a €2 handling fee on November 1, targeting packages sent directly to consumers from outside the 27-nation bloc, rte.ie reported. The measure aims to curb a massive influx of cheap goods from China just weeks before the peak Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas shopping season.
How the European Union Calculates the New Package Handling Fee
The fee applies to each distinct type of item inside a package, regardless of the overall value of the shipment. For instance, a single box containing ten T-shirts incurs a €2 handling charge. If the same parcel contains ten T-shirts and two hats, the fee doubles to €4. Official figures show that nearly six billion small packages entered the European Union last year. Approximately 93% of those cheap deliveries originated in China, arriving primarily through popular Asian e-commerce platforms like AliExpress and Temu, according to rte.ie and europesays.com.
Why Brussels Targets Non-European E-Commerce Giants
Brussels stated that the sheer volume of imports places an unsustainable strain on customs authorities, driving up operational costs that the new handling fee is designed to offset. Europesays.com noted that European officials also harbor serious concerns regarding unsafe non-European products, such as toys that violate bloc regulations, entering the market through Chinese online platforms. The €2 permanent levy stacks on top of a separate €3 duty that the European Union imposed in July on small parcels worth less than €150. Since that July duty took effect, imports have dropped by approximately 64%, though officials caution that it remains too early to draw definitive long-term conclusions from the data.
Future Customs Tariffs Scheduled Through 2028
While the €2 handling fee is a permanent regulatory fixture, the €3 duty on low-value packages operates as a temporary measure scheduled to remain in place until July 1, 2028. After that date, standard, product-specific customs tariffs will replace the temporary flat duty. The European Union will review and assess the exact amount of the handling fee every two years to ensure it stays proportional to the actual administrative costs incurred by the bloc's customs operations.
Frequently Asked Questions About the European Union Import Levy
Who is legally required to pay the €2 handling fee?
Online marketplaces, third-party sellers, and intermediaries—such as Amazon, AliExpress, and Temu—must pay the fee, though companies can choose to pass these costs on to shoppers through higher product prices.
How does the fee apply to mixed-item orders?
The charge applies per unique item type inside a single package rather than per individual item or total box value. A shipment containing one product category incurs a €2 fee, while multiple categories increase the total levy proportionally.
What happens to the temporary €3 parcel duty in 2028?
The temporary €3 duty on low-value packages under €150 expires on July 1, 2028, at which point standard, product-specific customs tariffs take effect across the bloc.
How many small packages entered the European Union last year?
Official data cited by rte.ie shows that nearly six billion small packages entered the 27-nation bloc, with approximately 93% arriving from China.
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