EU Adds €2 Fee to Online Orders from China Starting November 1

From 1 November 2026, the European Union will apply a €2 handling (or management) fee on direct online purchases from third countries destined for EU consumers. This comes on top of the €3 duty that has already been in force since 1 July 2026 for covered consignments valued at up to €150.

The Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ΕΒΕΠ / EBEP) clarified that the new €2 fee is charged per line of the customs declaration — that is, per distinct product entry or registration — and not automatically per physical parcel.

How the charges add up (examples from the Chamber)

• A parcel containing five identical T-shirts: €3 duty + €2 handling fee = €5 total.
• One T-shirt + one watch (two different tariff categories): €6 duty + €4 handling fee = €10 total.
• Two T-shirts, three sweaters and one hat: total charge reaches €15.
• Four different tariff categories: up to €20.

In short, the combined €3 + €2 charge can reach €5 per tariff category on low-value parcels where both measures apply. This makes very cheap orders noticeably more expensive and encourages consolidating items or using stock already held inside the EU.

Who pays the €2 fee?

The fee is charged to the declarant (the company or representative that submits the customs declaration). Online platforms can include the cost in the product price or in shipping fees, so consumers do not necessarily have to pay it separately upon delivery.

According to the customs guidance cited by the Piraeus Chamber:

• The €2 fee applies to direct electronic sales from third countries to EU consumers, even when the value exceeds €150.
• The €3 duty applies only to covered shipments valued at up to €150.
• The handling fee is not refunded if the parcel is returned or not delivered.

Goods that have already been imported and customs-cleared as stock in a warehouse inside the EU are exempt from this new import treatment, because subsequent delivery within the EU is not a fresh import from a third country.

The Chamber notes that it will be important to monitor not only direct shipments from China but also large-scale imports into European warehouses, in order to assess the real impact on competition.

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