EU imposes €2 fee on every item from outside the bloc
Starting November 1, the European Union is imposing a €2 processing fee on every item purchased online from outside the bloc regardless of its value, in addition to a €3 customs duty.
Starting November 1, the European Union will begin applying a new €2 processing fee on every item purchased online from outside the EU and shipped to a private consumer, regardless of the purchase value.
There is no minimum value threshold, and the fee is non-refundable even if the item is defective or returned, according to the official guidance page of the Irish Revenue Commissioners.
This fee is separate from a €3 customs duty per item applied since July 1, 2026, on parcels valued at €150 or less, meaning buyers may pay both fees together.
The fee targets e-commerce platforms, marketplaces, and businesses bringing parcels into the EU, rather than the consumer directly, according to the same source. It comes as part of a customs reform package that includes a new European Customs Authority and a customs data hub, to be implemented in phases through 2034.
What do these terms mean?
Processing fee: An additional amount levied to cover the costs of customs clearance for parcels arriving from outside the EU.
Customs duties: A tax imposed by a country on imported goods upon entering its borders.
Business-to-Consumer E-commerce (B2C): The direct sale of products from businesses to individual consumers over the internet.
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