European Union: Council adopted Regulation on elimination of the threshold-based customs duty relief

On 11 February 2026, the Council of the European Union adopted the Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1186/2009 as regards the elimination of the threshold-based customs duty relief. The regulation removes the current customs duty relief for parcels valued at less than EUR 150, which primarily affects goods purchased through e-commerce platforms. From 1 July 2026, an interim flat rate customs duty of EUR 3 will be applied to each distinct category of item within a parcel, identified by their specific tariff sub-headings. The regulation adopted as an interim measure is scheduled to remain in effect until 1 July 2028 or until the EU customs data hub becomes operational, at which point the flat rate will be replaced by standard customs tariffs.