New €2 EU Fee on Non-EU Orders From 1 November
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From Sunday 1 November 2026, a new EU handling fee of 2 euros applies to goods ordered online from shops outside the EU and delivered directly to consumers. The fee was set by the European Commission and applies in all EU countries, including Austria.
According to Austria's Finance Ministry, the fee is charged for each goods line in the customs declaration, in other words for each different type of product in a parcel. Three pairs of the same sports shoes, five T-shirts and two blouses make three lines, so the fee is 6 euros. Four identical T-shirts count as one line and cost 2 euros. The fee applies regardless of the value of the goods, so parcels above 150 euros are included too.
It comes on top of other charges. Since 1 July, a flat customs duty of 3 euros per product type applies to parcels worth less than 150 euros. Since 1 October, Austria also charges a national parcel tax of 2.40 euros per order, including VAT, on large online platforms.
The EU says platforms, sellers and carriers must pay the handling fee, not the buyer. Shops are free to pass the cost on, for example through higher prices, minimum order values or delivery fees. The date of import into the EU decides, so orders placed before 1 November can also be affected if they arrive after that date.
What to do: before you pay, check the checkout page and the terms of the shop for a line about the handling fee or customs charges. Orders from outside the EU, including from the United Kingdom or Switzerland, count as imports. Gifts sent from one private person to another are not covered, and neither are purchases from shops inside the EU.
Sources: Kleine Zeitung, Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF)
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