PostEurop Raises Concerns about EU Customs Changes

PostEurop, a consortium of European postal operators, has flagged a number of issues in the proposed European Union customs changes that will prove problematic for posts. The European Union (EU) and the EU Parliament reached a pact last month on an EU customs framework, agreeing on legislation that would remove the €150 customs duty exemption, create a single EU customs data hub, as well as the formation of an overall EU customs authority to oversee the hub.

In addition, the agreement proposes a new EU-wide handling fee for goods in small parcels entering the EU, set to take effect no later than November 1, 2026. The level of the fee will be decided by a Commission-delegated act before EU member states apply the fee. However, €2 per parcel has been bandied about. This fee is separate from the €3 per six-digit tariff heading fee for goods entering the EU that will go in effect from July 1. The legislation will also direct that sellers and platforms that facilitate distance sales of goods from non-EU countries directly to EU customers will be treated as importers. This will be a fundamental shift in the EU, moving responsibilities from customer to platform.

Many technical and operational issues still need to be sorted out, which PostEurop has noted in its recent position paper. It is calling on the Commission to consider establishing a special project group composed of postal operators, customs experts, Member State representatives, and other key stakeholders. Key concerns PostEurop has put forward in the paper:

• Emphasizes these measures must be implemented with a high degree of simplification and operational pragmatism to avoid higher workload, disproportionate burdens on postal networks and the broader eCommerce ecosystem. While large marketplaces may be able to comply, this requirement creates significant challenges for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

• Asks for clear definitions, especially around the word “item.”

• Clarification of postal consignment definition.

• The use of H7 data set for low-value consignments across all models, not just for IOSS or special arrangements.

• Concerns about ability of postal operators to make the necessary back-end system changes in time for July 1, 2026. (Similar concerns will arise for U.S. customs changes.)