Rhenus warns UK businesses over new EU low-value parcel customs changes

Rhenus Group is urging UK exporters to prepare for new EU customs rules for low-value parcels, which replace the previous value-based approach with a €3 customs duty per commodity code on shipments valued at €150 or less, effective from 1 July 2026. The interim measures, designed to address the growth of e-commerce and discourage the undervaluation of goods, will remain in place until broader EU customs reforms are introduced around 2028, including the removal of the €150 threshold and the launch of the Customs Data Hub. Rhenus advises businesses to review their EU shipping profiles, assess the financial impact of the new duty structure, check product classifications, plan how additional costs will be managed and adapt fulfilment strategies to minimise disruption. The Rhenus Group is issuing a reminder to UK businesses selling goods to EU countries that significant changes to the way low-value parcels are processed in customs are now underway. The changes represent a shift away from a value-based customs model. The new model considers the classification of the goods being shipped. The move has created new cost and operational considerations for cross-border sales. The new measures The new measures reflect the increased prevalence of e-commerce in today’s marketplace. They aim to create a more level playing field for the so-called ‘de minimis’ threshold goods imported into the EU as individual shipments, compared with those which are imported using the more conventional bulk model. They are also designed to act as a deterrent against the practice of undervaluing goods in order to qualify for duty waiver. Operational since 1 st July, traders are now seeing a flat €3 customs duty per commodity code introduced on their goods entering the EU with a shipment value of €150 or less. The customs duty rate of €3 is now levied on each item category contained in a small parcel entering the EU from 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2028, a period which may be extended. The shift marks one of the most significant changes to EU customs rules in decades, representing a shift in how low-value e-commerce imports will be handled in the future. An interim measure, the fee bridges the gap until a full EU customs reform package is implemented, including the elimination of the €150 threshold currently in place and the launch of the Customs Data Hub, around 2028. Business impact Rob Mulligan, UK Customs Manager-Road at Rhenus Logistics, said those operating high-volume e-commerce businesses have been impacted the most. “The move is a key shift in how low-value parcels are treated at the EU border. This has created higher costs for some businesses. Moving from a value-based model to a fixed per-parcel duty is now directly impacting cost structure for many UK exporters. “Businesses must act now to review their shipping profiles and understand the potential financial impact, working closely with logistics partners to ensure they’re fully prepared now these changes are in place, if they have not already done so. Firms should also be aware that customs duties apply even when businesses use Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) arrangements,” Mulligan concludes. Accommodating the shift The Rhenus Group advises businesses affected to urgently take the following actions: Review current EU shipping volumes and parcel profiles taking into account weights and destination, Use this data to assess the impact on your EU supply chain Consider how your goods are classified Consider how the duty will be absorbed Adapt fulfilment and distribution strategies in the EU