The Council has reached an agreement to abolish the rule that allows goods worth under €150 to enter the EU without customs duties being paid. Relevant duties will apply to all goods entering the Union, aligning the system with existing rules for value-added tax on imported goods.

The new rule will apply once the EU customs data hub becomes operational, which is expected in 2028. This platform, currently under negotiation between the Council and the European Parliament as part of a broader fundamental reform of the EU customs framework, will support stronger controls and allow customs authorities to calculate and notify customs debt on a per-item basis. It will make it possible to apply the full customs regime to small packages entering the EU.

Current estimates show that up to 65% of small parcels entering the EU are undervalued to avoid customs duties. The threshold has also fuelled environmental concerns by encouraging non-EU companies to split shipments into individual parcels. The Commission has reported that in 2024, 91% of all e-commerce shipments valued under €150 came from China.

Given the urgency, the Council has committed to working towards a simple, temporary solution to levy customs duties on such goods as soon as possible in 2026, pending the launch of the customs data hub in 2028. Work on this temporary measure will continue in the coming weeks.