The member states of the European Union gave the green light to a profound reform of European customs rules, approved on 3 September 2026, which will have particular impact on e-commerce and small packages from third countries. The political agreement on this reform had been reached between the Council and the European Parliament in March 2026, with final approval by the European Parliament and the conclusion of other legislative procedures still pending.
Among the main novelties is the creation of a handling fee applicable to small packages, the amount of which has not yet been defined. E-commerce platforms selling products from outside the EU to European consumers will now assume customs responsibilities that currently may fall on the consumer, and changes to the treatment of orders worth up to 150 euros are also intended.
The reform comes as a response to the enormous growth of e-commerce, which has created increased difficulties for European customs enforcement. Brussels has been warning about problems such as undervaluation of goods, products that do not comply with European safety standards, and difficulties in collecting amounts owed. The objective is to reinforce control through greater digitalization, sharing of information between authorities, and greater accountability of platforms.
The new rules do not take effect immediately. Implementation will be phased and some measures have their own timetables. For the consumer, the intention is to make online purchases more predictable in terms of what they will have to pay, avoiding unexpected charges when the package arrives in the EU.
