Several European countries, including France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Romania, and the Netherlands, are considering introducing handling fees on e-commerce parcels imported from outside the European Union. This reflects the rapid growth of low-value online purchases and the increasing pressure on customs authorities, postal services and fair competition within the EU. Member States are also concerned that uneven national approaches could lead to further growth in consignments in countries without such fees.
The proposed handling fees mainly target low-value parcels that currently benefit from the €150 duty-free threshold. While VAT already applies, customs authorities face a heavy administrative burden in processing millions of individual shipments. Governments argue that the current system does not sufficiently cover these costs and gives non-EU sellers, particularly large e-commerce platforms, a competitive advantage over EU retailers.
At EU level, the European Commission has proposed a harmonised handling fee of around €2 per parcel as part of a wider customs reform package, which also foresees the abolition of the €150 duty exemption. These measures are expected to enter into force around 2028, subject to approval by the European Parliament and the Council.
In the meantime, several Member States are considering national handling fees that could be introduced earlier, possibly from 2026. France and Belgium support a flat fee per parcel, while the Netherlands has discussed a fee linked to the number of product lines in an order. Luxembourg is expected to align with neighbouring countries to avoid becoming a logistical loophole.
The fees would be collected at customs clearance, with carriers, postal operators, or platforms paying the fee and passing the cost on to consumers or sellers. This will require adjustments to customs IT systems and closer cooperation between authorities and logistics actors.
For consumers, handling fees are likely to increase the final price of low-cost imports, which could reduce impulse purchases and the volume of small shipments. Logistics providers and platforms may respond by consolidating shipments or increasing the use of EU-based fulfilment centres. European retailers may benefit from a narrower price gap, although handling fees alone will not fully resolve competitive pressures.
The ESC has underlined the importance of implementing controls efficiently, ensuring that handling fees do not slow down regular customs procedures or create congestion of goods handling at ports and airports.
For more information, please see here.