EU introduces €2 handling charge for parcels arriving from outside the Union

Starting 1 November, the EU will enforce a €2 handling fee on all parcels arriving from non-EU countries, supplementing the €3 flat customs duty that applies to shipments valued under €150 and is in force until the summer of 2028. The new charge is independent of the parcel’s price, so it also covers items above the €150 threshold, and it is paid by the postal operator, courier or the online marketplace handling the order, not by the buyer.

Three-quarters of the fee will be transferred to the EU’s budget. A parallel amendment obliges senders to provide both the commercial and manufacturer product identifiers on the customs declaration, enabling authorities to better verify imported goods. Hungary’s customs authority, the Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal, reports handling an average of about 245,000 parcels each day.