EU De Minimis Rule Ends July 2026: What International Shoppers Need to Know

For cheap items, anything under €30, the €3 charge hits hard as a percentage. For larger purchases, the impact is smaller but it's still there.

And remember: VAT doesn't go away. It was already charged on top. The new €3 duty stacks on top of VAT, it doesn't replace it.

Real example: Leila, based in the Netherlands, orders skincare regularly from a US beauty brand, about €40 worth every couple of months. Before July 2026, she paid no duty. After July 1, she'll pay €3 per delivery, or €6 if her order spans two product categories (say, a moisturizer and a supplement). Over a year, that adds up to €12–24 in extra charges she wasn't paying before.

It doesn't sound like much. But multiply that across everything you order, and it adds up quickly.

Which Stores and Platforms Are Most Affected?

Shein and Temu take the biggest hit. Both built their business model on the de minimis loophole, sub-€150 pricing meant customers paid no duty. That's no longer possible.

In fact, Shein and Temu prices have already risen sharply in 2025 following the US ending its own de minimis rule. Some products increased by over 300%. The EU change will add another layer of cost.

But it's not just fast fashion platforms. If you use a US package forwarding service to shop from American stores and ship to an EU address, you're affected too. That includes:

• Fashion and apparel: ASOS, Gap, American Eagle, Abercrombie
• Beauty and skincare: Sephora, Bath & Body Works, iHerb
• Sports and outdoor: Nike, Columbia, The North Face, REI
• Electronics and tech: B&H Photo, Best Buy accessories
• Books and media: Amazon US books not available in EU editions
• Pet supplies: Chewy, PetSmart

If the package comes from outside the EU and enters through customs, the rule applies.

Before placing an order, check what can be shipped — some product categories have carrier restrictions regardless of customs rules.

What About Amazon?

Amazon US is a special case. Amazon does ship some items directly to EU countries, but not all products qualify, and Amazon's own international shipping fees are often much higher than forwarding costs.

Many shoppers use a US forwarding address specifically to access Amazon products that aren't available in the EU edition, or that are significantly cheaper on Amazon US. Under the new de minimis rule, those packages will face the same €3 duty when they arrive — but the price difference on US vs. EU Amazon often still makes it worthwhile.

4 Ways to Save After the EU De Minimis Rule Ends

The new rule is real, but it's not the end of shopping from the US. Here's what actually helps.

1. Consolidate Your Packages (This Is the Biggest One)

This is the single most effective thing you can do.

Consolidation means combining multiple packages into one shipment before they leave the US warehouse. Instead of sending five separate orders from five US stores, and potentially paying €3 (or more) on each, you wait for everything to arrive at your forwarding warehouse, pack it all into one box, and ship once.

One shipment. One customs declaration. Potentially one €3 charge instead of five.

Here's a real example: Fatima orders from three different US stores, a pair of running shoes, a yoga mat, and some protein supplements. If she ships each separately, she faces up to €9 in duty charges (€3 per package, assuming one product category each). If she consolidates everything into one shipment, she may pay just €3, or €9 if the shoes, mat, and supplements fall under three different tariff headings, but at least she's paying one declaration fee rather than multiple handling charges.

With Forwardme, you get 15 days of free storage at the US warehouse. That's enough time to wait for all your orders to arrive and consolidate before shipping.

The savings on international shipping alone can be up to 70% compared to sending packages separately. Add the duty consolidation benefit on top, and the math gets even better.

Calculate what you'd save by consolidating with our shipping calculator.

2. Order Before July 1, If Your Package Ships in Time

The rule applies to packages that enter the EU on or after July 1, 2026. Packages already in transit before that date aren't affected.

If you have orders you've been putting off, now is a good time. Place them this week, ship from your US warehouse before June 30, and your package enters under the old rules.

This is a one-time window; use it if you can.

3. Use a Tax-Free US Address

This doesn't change what you pay in EU customs. But it reduces your total cost in another way.

Forwardme's US warehouse is in Delaware, a state with no sales tax. When you ship to a Delaware address, you're not charged US state sales tax on your purchase.

On a $200 order from a US retailer, that's a saving of roughly $10–20 depending on the state the retailer normally charges tax in. It doesn't offset the new EU duty entirely, but it chips away at the total landed cost.

4. Buy Bigger, Less Often

If you're ordering regularly from the same source, timing your orders into larger, less frequent shipments reduces the number of customs declarations you generate, and potentially the number of €3 charges you pay.

• Five orders of €30 each = five separate customs entries = up to €15 in duty.
• One order of €150 = one customs entry = €3 in duty (assuming one item category).

Not always practical, but worth keeping in mind when you're planning purchases.

How Does This Compare to the Old System?

What About VAT, Does That Change Too?

No. VAT rules for international imports into the EU are separate from the de minimis duty exemption and aren't changing on July 1.

VAT on goods purchased from non-EU sellers has been collected via the IOSS (Import One-Stop Shop) system since 2021. If the retailer or platform is IOSS-registered, VAT is charged at checkout and paid to the EU. If not, it's collected when the package arrives.

The new €3 duty is charged on top of VAT. It doesn't replace it, offset it, or interact with it. So your total cost goes up by the duty amount. VAT stays as it was.

Does This Affect UK Shoppers Too?

Not yet, but it's coming.

The UK has announced plans to abolish its own £135 de minimis threshold. The timeline is different from the EU's: the UK is targeting March 2029 for the change.

Until then, UK shoppers ordering from the US continue to benefit from the £135 duty-free threshold. Goods valued under £135 still enter duty-free (though Import VAT still applies via HMRC).

If you're in the UK, you have a window the EU doesn't. But it's worth knowing the clock is ticking there too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the July 1 change apply to all EU countries?

Yes. All 27 EU member states are affected. The rule applies at the EU border, not at the individual country level.

What if my package is worth more than €150?

Goods over €150 have always been subject to full customs duty, that hasn't changed. The July 1 change removes the exemption for low-value goods that were previously protected.

Is the €3 charge per package or per item?

It's per item category (per tariff classification line on the customs declaration). A package with items from two different product categories could be charged €6. A package with everything falling under one category pays €3.

Who actually collects the €3 duty?

EU customs authorities in your country. It's typically collected when your package arrives, often through your postal service or courier, who may also charge a handling fee for processing it.

Can I avoid the duty by splitting my order into smaller packages?

No. The €3 charge applies per customs declaration, not per order value. Splitting a €100 order into smaller packages doesn't avoid the duty, it may actually increase what you pay by generating multiple declarations.

Does this change apply to gifts?

Yes. The €150 gift exemption for duties is also ending. The €3 flat rate applies regardless of whether the parcel is declared as a gift.

Will prices on Shein, Temu, and AliExpress go up even more?

Almost certainly. These platforms already raised EU prices in anticipation of the change. They'll need to pass the additional customs costs on to buyers.

What happens after July 2028?

The €3 flat rate is temporary. Once the EU's Customs Data Hub is operational (expected around 2028), the flat rate will be replaced by standard tariff rates, which vary by product type and are often higher. For some product categories, the duty rate will be significantly more than €3.

Does package consolidation reduce the duty I pay?

It can. Consolidation reduces the number of separate customs declarations generated. Instead of five packages each potentially incurring their own duty charges, one consolidated shipment generates one declaration. If all your items fall under the same tariff category, you pay €3 once. If they span three categories, you pay €9 — but on one shipment rather than three separate ones, each with their own handling fees.

Will postal services pass on extra handling fees on top of the €3?

Quite likely. In many EU countries, postal services and couriers charge a handling fee for processing customs on your behalf — typically €5–15 on top of the duty itself.

This has always applied to goods over €150. From July 1, these fees will also apply to lower-value parcels. Consolidation reduces the number of parcels going through customs and therefore the number of handling fees you pay.

Is there any way to pre-pay duty before my package arrives?

Some carriers offer Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) shipping, where duties are paid upfront at the time of shipping rather than on arrival. This avoids surprise charges and speeds up customs clearance. Check with your forwarding service whether DDP is available for your destination.

Have more questions about shipping from the US? Visit our full FAQ for answers on carriers, storage, and delivery times.

What This Means for You

The EU de minimis change isn't a disaster, but it is a real shift in the cost of shopping internationally.

Small purchases feel it more than large ones. Frequent small orders feel it more than occasional large ones. And shoppers who forward multiple separate packages from the US will feel it more than those who consolidate.

The practical response is consolidation. Ship more, ship less often, and pack it together.

Forwardme stores your US packages for free for 15 days, enough time to gather your orders and consolidate them into one shipment. You pay one international shipping charge, generate fewer customs declarations, and keep your total landed cost as low as possible.

The rule changes on July 1. The way to handle it doesn't have to be complicated.

Get your free US address at Forwardme and start consolidating your US orders before the deadline, or simply use it to shop smarter going forward.

Key Takeaways

• From July 1, 2026, all packages entering the EU face a €3 customs duty per item category, no minimum value threshold.
• The change affects everyone who imports goods from outside the EU, including shoppers using US package forwarding services.
• Cheap items (under €30) are most affected as a percentage of their value.
• VAT doesn't change, the €3 duty stacks on top.
• The €3 rate is temporary until ~2028, when full standard tariff rates kick in.
• Consolidating packages into one shipment is the most effective way to reduce the impact.
• UK shoppers are not affected until March 2029 at the earliest.

For more on shipping costs and how to estimate what you'll pay, use the Forwardme duty calculator. For a full breakdown of how customs duties and import taxes work by country, see our customs and duties guide.