economy
March 12, 2026
The End of Cheap Online Shopping
After the Council of the European Union adopted new customs rules for small shipments arriving in the EU, the question arises whether additional costs will affect customers who often order goods from online stores outside the Union.
TL;DR
- The EU is abolishing the customs exemption for shipments valued up to 150 euros.
- A new tax on small packages from online stores outside the EU will be introduced from July 1, 2026.
- This tax is a temporary flat fee of 3 euros per product category within a package sent directly to EU consumers.
- If a package contains multiple types of goods, the tax may be applied multiple times based on product category.
- The EU aims to create a more level playing field for European businesses compared to large foreign online platforms.
- In 2024, 4.6 billion small packages arrived in the EU market, with 91% originating from China.
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