This month’s flavour? 2026 EU Customs Reform
EU De Minimis Changes 2026: What UK Businesses Shipping to the EU Need to Know
From 1 July 2026, the EU de minimis rule is ending, bringing one of the biggest changes to shipping to the EU from the UK since Brexit.
If your business sells direct to European customers and regularly ships parcels worth under €150, these new EU customs duty rules could increase your costs and impact your fulfilment strategy.
Here’s what you need to know.
What is the EU de minimis rule?
Following Brexit, UK businesses exporting to the EU faced new customs processes and VAT requirements. However, there was one key exception.
Under the EU de minimis rule, goods valued below €150 could enter the EU without paying customs duty. While VAT and customs declarations still applied, the exemption made it significantly easier for UK ecommerce brands to continue selling directly to customers across Europe.
That exemption is now being removed.
What are the new EU de minimis changes?
From 1 July 2026, all commercial goods entering the EU will be subject to customs duty, regardless of their value.
For shipments worth less than €150, a fixed €3 customs duty will apply. The EU is also proposing an additional handling fee for low-value shipments as part of wider customs reforms.
These changes are designed to reduce pressure on customs authorities, tackle the misuse of low-value declarations and create a fairer trading environment for EU retailers.
How will this affect UK businesses?
For businesses shipping from the UK to the EU, the changes could mean:
- Higher costs on every low-value shipment
- Increased customs administration
- More border delays
- Reduced profit margins on D2C orders
- A poorer customer experience if deliveries are held at customs
For brands shipping hundreds or thousands of individual orders each month, these additional costs can quickly add up.
Sell in the EU
The removal of the EU de minimis exemption is another reminder that cross-border shipping is continuing to evolve. As costs, customs requirements and fulfilment strategies become more complex, businesses may need to rethink how they serve customers across Europe.
GFS works with retailers to navigate these kinds of changes, helping them review delivery networks, fulfilment options and carrier strategies to ensure they’re prepared for new legislation. Whether that means exploring EU-based fulfilment, optimising cross-border shipping or simply understanding the impact on your business, having the right logistics strategy in place can help minimise disruption and support continued growth in the European market.
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