Elimination of the EU's tax exemption for purchases under 150 euros

Overview

The European Parliament and the Council of the EU have decided to abolish the duty-free status for goods imported into the EU with a total value of less than 150 euros, effective July 1, 2026, and to impose tariffs as follows:

Transaction type / Total Value of contents

Less than 45 euros

45 euros or more, less than 150 euros

Over 150 euros

B2C (Online retail) 

3 euros per item

3 euros per item

EU common tax rate

 

Target Countries and Regions

Ireland, Italy, Estonia, Austria, Netherlands, Gadlelop, Cyprus, Greece, Croatia, Sweden, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Finland, France, French Guiana, Bulgaria, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Malta, Martinique, Monaco, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Luxembourg, and Réunion. 

 

How to calculate the €3 customs duty per item

A customs duty of 3 euros will be levied on each HS code in the consignment.

How the €3 Duty Works:

Per Tariff Line: The regulation defines an "item" as goods in a consignment sharing the same tariff classification and description (grouped by HS code). 

Multiple Quantities: Ordering 10 identical bags of “ground coffee” (same HS code) results in a single €3 duty. 

Multiple Categories: Ordering 5 bags of ground coffee and 5 bags of instant coffee (different HS codes) or mixing items like Ground coffee, Instant coffee and Green tea results in multiple €3 charges (e.g., €3 for each distinct code).