As of November 1, 2026, the European Union will introduce a new handling fee of €2 for e-commerce goods sold directly to European consumers from countries outside the EU. This new handling fee is in addition to the temporary import levy that has been in effect since July 1, 2026.
The measure is part of the broader reform of the European customs system. With this, the EU aims to better manage the strong growth of international e-commerce shipments and create more capacity for customs controls.
What changes as of November 1, 2026?
Since July 1, 2026, a temporary import levy of €3 per declaration line has applied to e-commerce shipments with a value up to €150. This resulted in the expiration of the previous exemption from import duties for shipments up to €150.
From November 1, 2026, a European handling fee of €2 per declaration line will be added to this.
For e-commerce shipments up to €150, the total levy could therefore amount to €5 per declaration line: a €3 import levy and a €2 handling fee.
The €2 handling fee also applies to e-commerce shipments with a value above €150. For these shipments, regular import duties apply instead of the temporary €3 levy.
The handling fee is paid by the party filing the customs declaration. Platforms, sellers, and logistics parties can incorporate these costs into their selling price or pass them on to the consumer.
For companies trading internationally, correct customs clearance therefore becomes even more important.
Why is the EU introducing this handling fee?
The number of e-commerce goods sent directly to consumers from countries outside the EU has increased significantly in recent years. In 2025, nearly 5.9 billion low-value e-commerce items entered the European Union.
These volumes require increasing capacity from European customs authorities. At the same time, inspections regularly show that imported products do not meet European requirements regarding safety, labeling, and product regulations.
The new handling fee is therefore intended to finance part of the costs for customs supervision, risk analysis, and controls.
Direct e-commerce imports become more expensive
The new rules primarily impact companies that ship individual consumer orders directly from non-EU countries to European customers.
In the case of a package containing several different product groups, the levy may be applied multiple times. Consequently, the additional import costs per order can add up quickly.
This makes it important for e-commerce companies to re-evaluate the way inventory for the European market is imported and distributed.
For companies involved in cross-border e-commerce, the new rules can directly influence the cost structure and the logistical setup of international goods flows.
Bulk import and fulfillment from within the EU become more attractive
Due to the new levies, it may become more attractive to import goods into the EU in larger volumes, clear them in advance, and subsequently deliver them to consumers from a European warehouse.
Instead of shipping every consumer order individually from, for example, China to Europe, stock is then imported in bulk via ports like Rotterdam or airports like Schiphol. From a warehouse in the Netherlands, orders can then be processed and shipped within the EU.
This can not only affect import costs but also offers companies more control over inventory, delivery times, returns, and the entire fulfillment operation.
With warehousing in the Netherlands, companies can manage their stock centrally and serve various European markets from a single location. Combined with e-commerce fulfillment, this creates a logistical setup where import, storage, and order processing are seamlessly aligned.
Van der Helm Logistics supports companies in this setup with services including forwarding, customs clearance, warehousing, and fulfillment from the Netherlands. This allows international e-commerce companies to organize their goods flows within the EU in advance and respond to changing European customs regulations.
New rules apply from November 1
The European handling fee of €2 takes effect on November 1, 2026. For companies currently sending many individual e-commerce shipments from non-EU countries, it is therefore important to map out the impact on costs and logistical processes in a timely manner.
The changes demonstrate once again that European rules for international e-commerce are evolving rapidly. A logistical setup where stock is imported into the EU in advance may therefore become increasingly relevant for larger e-commerce volumes.
Want to know more about the influence of customs regulations on international orders? Read our article on customs and e-commerce: how to prevent delays with international orders?