EU plans new surveillance fee on non‑EU parcels alongside existing charges
The European Commission is developing a new surveillance fee for packages entering the EU from outside the bloc, to be added to the current 3‑euro import duty and the forthcoming 2‑euro customs handling charge. The fee, described in a leaked draft of the European Product Act as the “Union market surveillance fee,” is intended to fund market surveillance and could trigger fines of up to 6 % of a company’s global annual revenue.
As of 1 July this year, a flat import fee of 3 euros per product category in a parcel has been in effect, and it will be superseded by standard customs duties starting in July 2028.
From 1 November, a separate handling fee of 2 euros per declaration line is expected to be introduced, without any VAT component.
The surveillance fee would be levied on importers, with the liability for direct shipments from online retailers still to be determined, and would be lower for bulk imports than for individual consumer shipments.
For years, Brussels has watched with concern as packages from online retailers—particularly those from China—have flooded the European Union.
In its latest annual report, the agency identified this lack of oversight as a top risk.
This handling fee is intended to strengthen inspection of ecommerce shipments.
What we know
As of July 1 of this year, a flat import fee of 3 euros per product category in a package has been in effect.
As of November 1, a separate handling fee of 2 euros per declaration line is expected to be introduced.
The draft explicitly mentions the so-called “Union market surveillance fee.”
The proposal also provides for fines of up to 6 percent of global annual revenue.
Starting in July 2028, this flat fee will be replaced by standard customs duties.