EU finance ministers have agreed to eliminate customs duty exemptions on packages valued below €150 imported into the EU from 2026.
The decision was reached during a ministerial meeting on Thursday, led by Denmark’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Stephanie Lose.
The European Commission had initially proposed ending the exemption by mid-2028 as part of broader customs union reforms, but Member States pushed for implementation “as soon as possible in 2026,” said European Commissioner for Economy Valdis Dombrovskis.
Closing loopholes for dodging customs duties
A transitional system for the change is to be agreed upon during the ministers' next meeting, scheduled for 12 December.
Thursday's decision targets the large volume of low-cost goods imported from non-EU countries, particularly from China and other parts of Asia, Lose explained.
She highlighted the fact that removing the exemption would close loopholes used to dodge customs duties, such as the undervaluation of goods or splitting shipments to stay below the threshold.
The reform is also intended to level the playing field for EU businesses, which are required to pay customs duties on all exports, according to Lose.
About 91% of the packages came from China
Dombrovskis noted that 4.6 billion low-cost packages were imported into the EU in 2024, with 91% coming from China.
To further address the issue, the European Commission has proposed introducing a “handling fee” for individual parcels from non-EU e-commerce platforms. The proposed fee is €2 per package and could be implemented by the end of next year, although final agreement on the amount has yet to be reached.
The Belgian entrepreneurs’ association,UNIZO, welcomed the removal of the exemption as a “first step in the right direction.” Its CEO, Bart Buysse, said the measure would protect the European economy and benefit consumer safety, the environment, and mobility.
UNIZO also expressed support for the handling fee but emphasised that the proposed sum was not enough to reduce the volume of parcels significantly. The organisation suggested that the fee should eventually be increased to make a greater impact.
Stakeholders call for higher fees
Similarly, the Neutral Union for the Self-Employed called for a much higher fee, stating that the current proposal does not reflect environmental or societal costs. A larger fee, such as €20 per parcel, could discourage consumers from ordering low-cost items, the group argued.
Comeos, representing Belgium’s retail and distribution sector, supported the abolition of the exemption and the proposed fee but described the €2 charge as “minimal.”
The organisation noted that Belgium handles a significant volume of packages from China, with an estimated 25% entering Europe through Liège. Comeos welcomed the EU-level approach to prevent goods from being rerouted to Belgium via other Member States.
