EU handling fee on non-EU e-commerce expected 1 November 2026

Carriers moving non-EU sellers' goods to EU consumers face a new per-item EU charge from 1 November 2026, if the current expectation holds. Toldstyrelsen reports that the EU handling fee on e-commerce goods from countries outside the EU sent to private individuals in the EU is expected to take effect on that dateToldstToldst, at a level the EU has not yet fixedToldst but which will probably be EUR 2-4 per varepost (item line) in a customs declarationToldst.

Unlike the temporary EUR 3 customs duty introduced earlier this year, the handling fee will be charged on every consignment, including consignments with a total value above EUR 150Toldst. The EUR 3 duty applies from 1 July 2026Europa until 1 July 2028Europa as EUR 3 per item in a consignment whose intrinsic value does not exceed EUR 150 in totalEuropa, for goods covered by the Import One-Stop Shop scheme or carried in a postal consignmentEuropa. The EU is introducing the handling fee partly to give European customs authorities the resources to control the large volumes of e-commerce goods arriving from outside the EU.

For Danish business the change lands primarily on companies that transport goods from businesses in non-EU countries to consumers in Denmark or other EU countriesToldst. Toldstyrelsen warns these carriers to expect changes around the declaration of goods, their guarantee arrangements (sikkerhedsstillelse), and the technical and systems adjustments they must prepare.

Toldstyrelsen holds an online information meeting on the fee on Monday 28 September 2026 from 12:00 to 13:00 on TeamsToldst, aimed particularly at transport companies. The agenda covers the basics of what is known and not yet known, what the fee means for companies' guarantees, and which technical and systems changes to prepare for. Registration closes Friday 25 September 2026Toldst through the sign-up link on Toldstyrelsen's news item. Because not all details are settled, Toldstyrelsen says some questions cannot be answered at the meeting; it is preparing an FAQ for toldst.dk and will announce it through its newsletter when ready.

Legal basis: the transitional EUR 3 duty in Article 2 of Council Regulation (EU) 2026/382 with declaration and data-element rules in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1022; the handling fee's amount and adopting act are still to be fixed by the EUToldst.