EU EUR 2 handling fee: what online sellers pay from November 1, 2026

The EU expects to charge a new EUR 2 Union handling fee per item on goods sold online to EU consumers from November 1, 2026, whatever the parcel's value. It comes on top of the EUR 3 customs duty on parcels up to EUR 150 that started in July. The European Commission published its guidance on October 7. Here is how it works and what to change before it starts.

For: ResellersSmall businessesImporters

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What changed

On October 7, 2026 the European Commission published updated guidance on the EUR 3 customs duty and the new Union handling fee (Commission customs reform page). The guidance says the fee is "a EUR 2 fixed fee (not ad valorem)", applies per item to goods sold in distance sales, and applies "irrespective of the items' value". Its legal basis is Article 20 of the new Union Customs Code, Regulation (EU) 2026/2108, with the amount fixed in a delegated act.

The Commission says the fee is based on the cost of customs supervision, and that from 2028 it will be lower where the importer operates a customs warehouse.

What it means for your business

For a seller outside the EU shipping to EU consumers, every item now carries up to EUR 5 in fixed charges on a parcel up to EUR 150: the EUR 3 customs duty plus the EUR 2 handling fee. Above EUR 150 the normal duty rate applies, and the EUR 2 fee still applies.

Illustrative, before import VAT and carrier fees. On cheap items the fixed charges are a large share of the price: EUR 5 on a EUR 15 item is a third of its value.

Who is affected

• Sellers outside the EU (US, Canada, UK, China and elsewhere) shipping goods to EU consumers, including Etsy, eBay, Vinted and TikTok Shop sellers who ship cross-border.
• EU buyers of goods from non-EU shops, when the seller passes the charges on.
• Not affected: sellers inside the EU shipping within the EU, business imports that are not distance sales, and digital downloads.

What to do now

1. Count items, not parcels: list the tariff codes in your typical EU order and multiply by EUR 5 (or EUR 2 above EUR 150).
2. Ask your carrier or marketplace how and when they will charge the fee from November 1, and whether they show it at checkout.
3. Reprice your cheapest EU listings, set a minimum order, or bundle items that share a tariff code.
4. Check the EUR 3 duty guide and your buyer's country in our Europe import guides.

General information, not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules change often: check the official sources above or a licensed customs broker before you act. SuanSupply is not affiliated with any government agency or marketplace named here.