EU Announces Fixed Duty for Low-Value Imports Ahead of de Minimis Elimination
The Council of the European Union on Dec. 12 agreed to impose a fixed customs duty of around $3.52 on "small parcels" valued at less than $176 entering the EU, "largely via e-commerce," starting on July 1, 2026. The measure comes as the bloc moves to eliminate a provision that exempts low-value imports from tariffs (see 2511130008).
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The council said the reason for the change is that "such parcels currently enter 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 measure will remain in place until the bloc eliminates its de minimis threshold.
The new $3.52 duty will be applied "to each different item, according to their tariff headings, contained in a consignment," the council said. The duty will be applied to all goods entering the EU for which non-EU sellers are registered in the EU's import one-stop shop for value-added tax purposes, the council said.