New parasitic EU customs charges

[Thighknee]

Are any of my fellow Europeans worried about these new customs charges? It's typical EU parasitism but I fear it could also have a knock on effect resulting in more frequent customs checks and seizures?

"The Council today formally approved new customs duty rules for items contained in small parcels entering the EU, largely via e-commerce. The new rules respond to the fact that such parcels currently enter the EU duty free, leading to unfair competition for EU sellers.

As global e-commerce booms, EU customs rules must keep pace. Abolishing the out-of-date exemption for small parcels will help support EU business and shut down avenues for unscrupulous sellers. Now, we need to move forward decisively on the overall customs reform which is a key part of the puzzle in making the EU more competitive and more secure.

Today’s agreement abolishes the threshold-based customs duty relief for parcels valued at under €150 entering the EU. Customs tariffs will therefore start applying to all goods entering the EU once the EU customs data hub – under discussion as part of a broader fundamental reform of the customs framework – is operational. This is currently expected in 2028.

Until that time, EU member states have agreed to introduce an interim flat rate customs duty of €3 on items contained in small parcels valued at less than €150 sent directly to consumers in the EU. As of 1 July 2026, the duty will be levied on each different category of item, identified by their tariff sub-headings, contained in a parcel.

Example:

A parcel contains 1 blouse made of silk and 2 blouses made of wool.

Therefore, due to their different tariff sub-headings, the parcel contains two distinct items and €6 in customs duty should be paid.

The new system will have a positive impact both for the EU budget as well as for national public finances, as customs duties constitute a traditional own resource of the Union, and member states retain part of those amounts by way of collection costs. The measure is distinct from the proposed so-called ‘handling fee’ currently under discussion in the context of the customs reform package.
Next steps

The interim flat rate customs duty of €3 will be levied on each item category contained in a small parcel entering the EU from 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2028 and may be extended as appropriate. Once the new EU customs data hub is operational, this interim duty will be replaced by normal customs tariffs"

I dearly hate this nanny state nonsense.
You can read the rest here :

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2026/02/11/council-gives-final-green-light-to-new-customs-duty-rules-for-small-parcels/

 

[indolent]

It'll get worse before it gets worse

 

[Thighknee]

The enshitification of all aspects of society continues to snowball.

 

[BBA1969]

Peptide packages are rarely under €150 when they come from outside the EU. I also don’t think that’s the target of this action.

This is about ALI, TEMU, etc., which represent a MASSIVE influx. Europe naturally wants a piece of that, hence the €3 flat rate on small packages: no extra checks required (which cost time and money), easily set up electronically, and "et voilà", the cash register rings.

As long as our vendors properly pay import duties upfront, checks on the packages themselves will remain extremely rare.

 

[skaylife]

Are any of my fellow Europeans worried about these new customs charges? It's typical EU parasitism but I fear it could also have a knock on effect resulting in more frequent customs checks and seizures?

"The Council today formally approved new customs duty rules for items contained in small parcels entering the EU, largely via e-commerce. The new rules respond to the fact that such parcels currently enter the EU duty free, leading to unfair competition for EU sellers.

As global e-commerce booms, EU customs rules must keep pace. Abolishing the out-of-date exemption for small parcels will help support EU business and shut down avenues for unscrupulous sellers. Now, we need to move forward decisively on the overall customs reform which is a key part of the puzzle in making the EU more competitive and more secure.

Today’s agreement abolishes the threshold-based customs duty relief for parcels valued at under €150 entering the EU. Customs tariffs will therefore start applying to all goods entering the EU once the EU customs data hub – under discussion as part of a broader fundamental reform of the customs framework – is operational. This is currently expected in 2028.

Until that time, EU member states have agreed to introduce an interim flat rate customs duty of €3 on items contained in small parcels valued at less than €150 sent directly to consumers in the EU. As of 1 July 2026, the duty will be levied on each different category of item, identified by their tariff sub-headings, contained in a parcel.

Example:

A parcel contains 1 blouse made of silk and 2 blouses made of wool.

Therefore, due to their different tariff sub-headings, the parcel contains two distinct items and €6 in customs duty should be paid.

The new system will have a positive impact both for the EU budget as well as for national public finances, as customs duties constitute a traditional own resource of the Union, and member states retain part of those amounts by way of collection costs. The measure is distinct from the proposed so-called ‘handling fee’ currently under discussion in the context of the customs reform package.
Next steps

The interim flat rate customs duty of €3 will be levied on each item category contained in a small parcel entering the EU from 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2028 and may be extended as appropriate. Once the new EU customs data hub is operational, this interim duty will be replaced by normal customs tariffs"

I dearly hate this nanny state nonsense.
You can read the rest here :

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2026/02/11/council-gives-final-green-light-to-new-customs-duty-rules-for-small-parcels/

Given purposes are right. But the results and other general factors affecting concurrency not. It is true that most of the companies can not concurrate prices of China and have to close down. Does adding €3 per item help concurrency? Of course not!

I pay helft of my turnover(not profit!) to the state as a vendor. Must pay all my costs and also make profit to live from the other helft. Am I giong to get any subsidies from that collected extra customs fees or do I know where are they going to use it for? Also not! Chance of concurrency stays 0! I have a transportation company and don't have to concur Chinese products. But if all my clients close down, one day I also have to.

It is just stealing with a good excuse.

 

[kugelblitz]

Are any of my fellow Europeans worried about these new customs charges? It's typical EU parasitism but I fear it could also have a knock on effect resulting in more frequent customs checks and seizures?

"The Council today formally approved new customs duty rules for items contained in small parcels entering the EU, largely via e-commerce. The new rules respond to the fact that such parcels currently enter the EU duty free, leading to unfair competition for EU sellers.

As global e-commerce booms, EU customs rules must keep pace. Abolishing the out-of-date exemption for small parcels will help support EU business and shut down avenues for unscrupulous sellers. Now, we need to move forward decisively on the overall customs reform which is a key part of the puzzle in making the EU more competitive and more secure.

Today’s agreement abolishes the threshold-based customs duty relief for parcels valued at under €150 entering the EU. Customs tariffs will therefore start applying to all goods entering the EU once the EU customs data hub – under discussion as part of a broader fundamental reform of the customs framework – is operational. This is currently expected in 2028.

Until that time, EU member states have agreed to introduce an interim flat rate customs duty of €3 on items contained in small parcels valued at less than €150 sent directly to consumers in the EU. As of 1 July 2026, the duty will be levied on each different category of item, identified by their tariff sub-headings, contained in a parcel.

Example:

A parcel contains 1 blouse made of silk and 2 blouses made of wool.

Therefore, due to their different tariff sub-headings, the parcel contains two distinct items and €6 in customs duty should be paid.

The new system will have a positive impact both for the EU budget as well as for national public finances, as customs duties constitute a traditional own resource of the Union, and member states retain part of those amounts by way of collection costs. The measure is distinct from the proposed so-called ‘handling fee’ currently under discussion in the context of the customs reform package.
Next steps

The interim flat rate customs duty of €3 will be levied on each item category contained in a small parcel entering the EU from 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2028 and may be extended as appropriate. Once the new EU customs data hub is operational, this interim duty will be replaced by normal customs tariffs"

I dearly hate this nanny state nonsense.
You can read the rest here :

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2026/02/11/council-gives-final-green-light-to-new-customs-duty-rules-for-small-parcels/

I don't think this has anything to do with peps. It's just EU closing the door on Temu junk.

My only concern is that if the number of direct Chinese shipments decreases our orders may stand out more. But EU is big enough of a marker that serious vendors will simply ship from Europe.

 

[ultima thule]

Are any of my fellow Europeans worried about these new customs charges? It's typical EU parasitism but I fear it could also have a knock on effect resulting in more frequent customs checks and seizures?

"The Council today formally approved new customs duty rules for items contained in small parcels entering the EU, largely via e-commerce. The new rules respond to the fact that such parcels currently enter the EU duty free, leading to unfair competition for EU sellers.

As global e-commerce booms, EU customs rules must keep pace. Abolishing the out-of-date exemption for small parcels will help support EU business and shut down avenues for unscrupulous sellers. Now, we need to move forward decisively on the overall customs reform which is a key part of the puzzle in making the EU more competitive and more secure.

Today’s agreement abolishes the threshold-based customs duty relief for parcels valued at under €150 entering the EU. Customs tariffs will therefore start applying to all goods entering the EU once the EU customs data hub – under discussion as part of a broader fundamental reform of the customs framework – is operational. This is currently expected in 2028.

Until that time, EU member states have agreed to introduce an interim flat rate customs duty of €3 on items contained in small parcels valued at less than €150 sent directly to consumers in the EU. As of 1 July 2026, the duty will be levied on each different category of item, identified by their tariff sub-headings, contained in a parcel.

Example:

A parcel contains 1 blouse made of silk and 2 blouses made of wool.

Therefore, due to their different tariff sub-headings, the parcel contains two distinct items and €6 in customs duty should be paid.

The new system will have a positive impact both for the EU budget as well as for national public finances, as customs duties constitute a traditional own resource of the Union, and member states retain part of those amounts by way of collection costs. The measure is distinct from the proposed so-called ‘handling fee’ currently under discussion in the context of the customs reform package.
Next steps

The interim flat rate customs duty of €3 will be levied on each item category contained in a small parcel entering the EU from 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2028 and may be extended as appropriate. Once the new EU customs data hub is operational, this interim duty will be replaced by normal customs tariffs"

I dearly hate this nanny state nonsense.
You can read the rest here :

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2026/02/11/council-gives-final-green-light-to-new-customs-duty-rules-for-small-parcels/

At the end of the day it may even have a positive impact on us - peptide rats. If Chinese vendors meet any inconvenience due to the new regulations, them smart enough to put more effort on opening "EU warehouses" Might be wrong, but that's how I see that.