Dutch consumers may pay up to 15 euros extra on foreign shipments starting from July 1, 2026
Consumers in the Netherlands may soon face higher costs when ordering products from outside the European Union. Starting July 1, 2026, EU finance ministers have agreed to impose an import fee of 3 euros per product on parcels coming from non-EU countries. Additionally, the Netherlands plans to impose an extra fee of 2 euros per product, which could increase costs by up to 15 euros for parcels containing multiple products, according to reports from NU.nl.
The new fees target packages valued at up to 150 euros, while shipments above that are already subject to customs duties. The European Union aims to reduce the flow of small packages, especially from China, which have burdened European customs services. Among the main sources of these packages are popular online stores like SHEIN and AliExpress.
Eugène Heijnen, the Dutch State Secretary for Finance and Customs, stated that these measures are justified due to the large volume of parcels entering Europe. Customs authorities also indicate that many parcels pass through the Netherlands before reaching their other destinations, increasing the workload. The European Commission confirms that some products from outside the European Union may not meet European safety and production standards and may be susceptible to fraud.
A spokesperson for the Dutch Ministry of Finance clarified that import duties could also benefit European and Dutch companies, as consumers often shop from stores outside the EU due to lower prices. The additional Dutch fee of 2 euros per product is expected to come into effect on January 1, 2026, after the approval of the Dutch Council of Ministers.
If both European and Dutch tariffs are applied together, the additional costs could significantly impact consumers. For example, importing a single product from Canada may cost at least an additional 5 euros, while a package containing three different products may face an additional 15 euros in import fees, according to a ministry spokesperson.