The Netherlands has made an important decision regarding the introduction of the national handling fee for e-commerce shipments. The State Secretary for Fiscal Affairs, Tax Administration and Customs has announced that the introduction of this fee, which is intended to cover the additional costs incurred by Customs in checking e-commerce shipments, will not take place before February 1, 2026.

This decision was communicated to the House of Representatives today via an official letter. The national handling fee is being introduced to cover the rising costs of Customs due to the increase in e-commerce shipments.

Although the European Union will introduce a uniform handling fee for the entire EU in November 2026, some neighboring countries are considering introducing a national version of this fee as early as the beginning of 2026. To prevent logistics in the Netherlands from becoming congested, Customs is preparing for a possible introduction, but only in line with other EU member states.

The Netherlands is in close consultation with other EU countries to ensure a joint implementation date and to prevent a waterbed effect. Because it is still uncertain whether other member states will introduce their national handling fee as early as January 1, 2026, there was a short period between the announcement and the expected implementation. With the decision not to introduce the measure before February 1, 2026, the State Secretary wants to give the sector sufficient time and clarity to prepare.

For more information, please visit the information page about the handling fee on Douane.nl.

If you have any direct questions, our colleagues in the customs department can also help you.