THE WHAT? The European Union has abolished the customs duty exemption for e-commerce packages valued below €150, introducing a €3 customs duty on low-value imports from third countries.
THE DETAILS Under the new rules, online purchases shipped directly to EU consumers from outside the bloc will be subject to a €3 customs duty per item, with the charge collected from online platforms or other businesses involved in the sale and transport of the goods rather than consumers at delivery. The measure also introduces product identifier (PID) declarations to strengthen customs checks and improve the detection of unsafe or non-compliant products. PID declarations will be voluntary from 1 July 2026 before becoming mandatory in November 2026. The changes form part of the wider EU Customs Reform and will remain in place until the EU Customs Data Hub becomes operational in 2028.
THE WHY? The reforms are designed to create a level playing field between EU retailers and overseas e-commerce platforms while strengthening consumer protection. For the beauty and personal care industry, the measures are expected to increase scrutiny of imported cosmetics and personal care products, particularly those sold through cross-border online marketplaces, following findings that more than 60% of low-value imports failed to meet EU safety or compliance requirements.
Source: European Commission
