Small parcels shipped into the European Union from outside the bloc will face a new processing fee by November 1, 2026. The charge is distinct from the €3 customs duty set to apply from July 1 to shipments valued below €150, creating another cost layer for the ultra-low-cost cross-border shopping model used by platforms such as Temu, Shein and AliExpress.
The European Commission has yet to set the amount of the processing fee. The EU says the measure is intended to cover the administrative burden of monitoring and checking a rapidly growing flow of small imported packages.
Online marketplaces are expected to take on a larger role in the customs process, being treated as importers and handling the related formalities. That does not establish how much of the charge platforms will absorb versus pass on through item prices, shipping charges or checkout totals.
The separate €3 duty applies to imports under €150, but it is not necessarily a flat €3 charge for every package. A parcel containing goods assigned to multiple tariff categories can produce a different calculation.
The policy response reflects the scale of cross-border e-commerce entering the EU. European authorities processed about 6 billion e-commerce parcels in 2025, with more than 90% originating in China. Alongside collecting costs, the reforms are intended to strengthen checks on goods entering the EU market.
Platforms will also face greater responsibility for compliance. Serious breaches of customs obligations may result in penalties of up to 6% of the previous year’s annual import value. The final processing-fee amount—and how marketplaces incorporate it into their pricing—remains the key unresolved detail ahead of implementation.
