Italy postpones its own separate €2 parcel charge until October to avoid a combined €5 levy hitting online shoppers.A new EU-wide customs duty of €3 on small parcels from outside the bloc came into force on 1 July, in a move designed to level the playing field for European retailers facing a flood of cheap goods from Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Shein and Temu.The Council of the EU agreed in December 2025 to apply a fixed customs duty of €3 on parcels valued at less than €150 entering the EU, largely via e-commerce, from 1 July 2026. The measure responds to the fact that such parcels previously entered the EU duty-free, leading to unfair competition for EU sellers, health and safety risks for consumers, high levels of fraud, and environmental concerns. How it works The duty applies to any item purchased online and shipped directly to EU consumers, regardless of value, at the point of import. It is charged per item: buying three different products - a pair of shoes, a dress and a hat - would attract a total duty of €9. In most cases, it will be the platform, online seller, or company involved in the sale and transport of the goods that pays, rather than the consumer directly. In 2025, 5.9 billion items entered the EU from third countries without paying customs duties as low-value parcels, accounting for over 97 per cent of the total volume of imports, with 16 million cleared through customs every day. Brussels also cited safety concerns, noting that in 2025 more than 60 per cent of items purchased online - including cosmetics, electronics, toys and food supplements - failed to meet EU product compliance standards. The measure is described as temporary, remaining in place until a permanent customs reform - which will eliminate the €150 duty-free threshold altogether - enters into force. Italy postpones €2 charge In Italy, a separate domestic charge of €2 on small parcels from outside the EU - originally due to take effect on 1 July - has been postponed until 1 October. The extension was introduced at the last minute via a provision approved by the council of ministers on 22 June, with the aim of avoiding a combined "3+2" effect that would have meant a total levy of €5 on a single consignment. The postponement is intended to align the Italian charge with an EU-wide handling fee - a customs administration surcharge distinct from the new duty - on which agreement has already been reached at EU level and which all member states will be required to apply by November.

A new EU-wide customs duty of €3 on small parcels from outside the bloc came into force on 1 July, in a move designed to level the playing field for European retailers facing a flood of cheap goods from Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Shein and Temu. The Council of the EU agreed in December 2025 to apply a fixed customs duty of €3 on parcels valued at less than €150 entering the EU, largely via e-commerce, from 1 July 2026. The measure responds to the fact that such parcels previously entered the EU duty-free, leading to unfair competition for EU sellers, health and safety risks for consumers, high levels of fraud, and environmental concerns. The duty applies to any item purchased online and shipped directly to EU consumers, regardless of value, at the point of import. It is charged per item: buying three different products - a pair of shoes, a dress and a hat - would attract a total duty of €9. In most cases, it will be the platform, online seller, or company involved in the sale and transport of the goods that pays, rather than the consumer directly. In 2025, 5.9 billion items entered the EU from third countries without paying customs duties as low-value parcels, accounting for over 97 per cent of the total volume of imports, with 16 million cleared through customs every day. Brussels also cited safety concerns, noting that in 2025 more than 60 per cent of items purchased online - including cosmetics, electronics, toys and food supplements - failed to meet EU product compliance standards. The measure is described as temporary, remaining in place until a permanent customs reform - which will eliminate the €150 duty-free threshold altogether - enters into force. In Italy, a separate domestic charge of €2 on small parcels from outside the EU - originally due to take effect on 1 July - has been postponed until 1 October. The extension was introduced at the last minute via a provision approved by the council of ministers on 22 June, with the aim of avoiding a combined "3+2" effect that would have meant a total levy of €5 on a single consignment. The postponement is intended to align the Italian charge with an EU-wide handling fee - a customs administration surcharge distinct from the new duty - on which agreement has already been reached at EU level and which all member states will be required to apply by November.