New EU customs handling fee on non-EU online purchases effective November 1

Starting November 1, 2026, the European Union will implement a new 'Union Handling Fee' (UHF) of €2 on goods purchased remotely from non-EU countries, such as China. This fee is independent of the item's value and is added to the existing temporary €3 customs duty introduced in July 2026. The charge is calculated per product category rather than per parcel; consequently, a package containing multiple types of items will incur cumulative costs, potentially reaching €5 per category.

This measure aims to address unfair competition from platforms like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress, which have impacted domestic retail. According to Cyprus Customs Department spokesperson Giorgos Konstantinou, the initial €3 duty has already led to a 30% to 35% reduction in parcel volumes arriving from third countries. Interestingly, consumer behavior has shifted, with the number of items declared per package increasing from an average of one or two to four or five. Similar trends have been reported by customs authorities in Greece and other EU member states. The initiative reflects a broader reform of the Union Customs Code, intended to enhance control over e-commerce imports.