March 24, 2026, 1:57 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
The EU is ending the 150-euro customs exemption. Starting July 1, 2026, even low-cost orders from China will incur a flat fee. This is likely to significantly affect many bargain hunters.
Until now, if the value of goods remained under 150 euros, no customs fees were charged. This rule made orders from providers such as Temu, Shein, or AliExpress particularly attractive. Combined with low shipping costs, packages from the Far East were often much cheaper than in European trade. However, the EU now wants to change that.
Three Euros per Product Category
In the future, shipments under 150 euros will incur a flat customs fee of three euros per product category. If multiple products from the same category are ordered, only one three-euro fee is charged. However, if items from different categories are in the package, the fee is charged multiple times.
For example, if a delivery consists of pants and a pen, six euros in customs fees are charged, as these are two different product categories. Sellers are urged to pre-clear their shipments. If this does not happen, customers must pay the extra fee at customs, plus a handling fee of 7.50 euros per package.
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Transitional Solution Until 2028
The new flat-rate regulation is initially considered a transitional model. From 2028, the EU plans a digital customs system that will centrally record all imports and regularly clear them—regardless of the value of goods. This would permanently eliminate the previous exemption for small shipments.
According to the EU Commission, around 4.6 billion small shipments reached the European market in 2024, about 91 percent of which came from China. Revenue from the new customs fees will flow into both the EU budget and the budgets of member states.
Additionally, the EU is currently discussing a possible handling fee for such shipments. It is already clear: The price advantage of many non-European online shops is likely to shrink significantly in the coming years.