€2 Customs Fee per Non EU Item From 1 November
Published
From Sunday 1 November 2026, the European Union charges a new handling fee of 2 euros on online orders shipped directly to customers from countries outside the EU. German customs says the fee applies to every different item in a parcel, whatever the value of the order.
The fee is charged per item line, not per piece. A parcel with a cotton T shirt, a phone case and a book costs 6 euros in fees, while a parcel with four identical T shirts costs 2 euros once. It comes on top of the flat customs duty of 3 euros per item category that has applied since 1 July 2026 to parcels worth up to 150 euros, and on top of import VAT of 19 or 7 percent. Unlike the flat duty, the new fee also applies to orders worth more than 150 euros. What counts is the day the parcel enters the EU, so orders placed before Sunday can also be charged.
Shoppers on platforms such as Temu, Shein or AliExpress are most affected, as is anyone who orders cheap mixed goods from China or other countries outside the EU. In most cases the carrier or the platform pays the fee to customs, so you do not have to fill in anything yourself. But sellers may pass the cost on through higher prices.
What to do: before you order, check the price and the seller's terms to see whether customs duty and the new fee are already included. Several identical items in one order cost less in fees than many different items. Goods shipped from a warehouse inside the EU are not charged, and gifts sent between private people are not covered by the fee.
Sources: Generalzolldirektion (Zoll), heise online
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