Changes to import duties, taxes and fees of postal services to the European Union
The European Union (EU) has announced customs and import Value Added Tax (VAT) changes effective 1 July 2026, impacting postal sending to all EU member states.
Similar to the US, Zonos® will support the calculation, collection and remittance of duties, taxes and fees ("landed costs") that are now applicable to EU-bound shipments.
What’s changing
The EU is removing the EUR150 de minimis threshold that has previously allowed low-value goods to pass into the EU free of customs duty.
From 1 July 2026, all items sent to the EU, except for gifts valued below EUR45, will be subject to customs duty and VAT:
- Parcels valued under EUR150: VAT will apply to the parcel, along with a flat-rate customs duty fee of EUR3 per item.
- Parcels valued over EUR150: the existing customs duty and tax processes will continue to apply.
This customs duty fee of EUR3 will apply per item, not per parcel – the fee will be charged for every distinct item in your parcel. Under the EU’s Delegated Regulation, an ‘item’ is defined as goods in a parcel that share the same HS tariff code, item description and (where required) country of origin.
A parcel with three goods that differ on any of those criteria - and therefore classified as three distinct items - will be charged EUR9, not EUR3. For example:
A parcel containing 3 distinct items
| Item description | HS tariff code | Country of origin | Quantity | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseball cap | HS tariff code 650500 |
Country of origin Vietnam |
Quantity 1 |
Fee EUR3 |
| Cotton t-shirt | HS tariff code 610910 |
Country of origin Fiji |
Quantity 1 |
Fee EUR3 |
| Baseball cap | HS tariff code 650500 |
Country of origin Bangladesh |
Quantity 1 |
Fee EUR3 |
| TOTAL | Fee EUR9 |
However, if multiple goods share identical details for the above criteria and are grouped on a single line, they can be classified as a single item in a parcel within the EU’s definition. In this case, only EUR3 will be charged. For example:
A parcel containing 5 identical T-shirts
| Item description | HS tariff code | Country of origin | Quantity | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton t-shirt | HS tariff code 610910 |
Country of origin Fiji |
Quantity 5 |
Fee EUR3 |
| TOTAL | Fee EUR3 |
Both the EUR150 duty exemption and EUR3 flat-rate customs duty fee will apply to all 27 member states of the EU.
There are different rules that apply for personal sending and business shipping. Refer to the relevant section below for details.
Changes to import duties, taxes and fees of postal services to Canada, Norway and the United Kingdom
From 1 July 2026, Zonos® will also support the calculation, collection and remittance of duties, taxes and fees (“landed costs”) for shipments to Canada, Norway and the United Kingdom. The duty-free thresholds for gifts remain the same for these countries:
- Canada: CAD60
- Norway: NOK1000
- The UK: no VAT or customs duty for gifts valued up to GBP39; no customs duty but VAT applies for gifts valued between GBP39 and GBP135
Refer to the sections below to learn how these landed costs will be collected and remitted.
Personal sending
Duty-free threshold for sending personal gifts to private individuals in the EU
There is a duty-free threshold of EUR45 for the personal sending of gifts up to a certain value from a private individual to another private individual.
No duty, fee or tax payment is required for gifts valued up to EUR45 for EU destinations. Standard customs duties, taxes and fees will apply for parcels valued above EUR45.
Goods sent by a business to a private individual will not be considered a gift, even if meant as a freebie, prize or promotional item, for example a promotional package for influencers.
Business shipping (MyPost Business and Contract customers)
We are upgrading our international sending platforms to ensure ongoing compliance with changing global regulations to support a smoother and more transparent shipping experience.
From 1 July, enhancements will be introduced for businesses shipping items to the EU, Canada, Norway and the UK.
What’s changing
Gifts option removed from reason for export. Business customers creating shipments via MyPost Business (MPB), Parcel Send and APIs will no longer be able to select Gift as a reason for export. Goods sent by a business will not be considered a gift, even if meant as a freebie, prize or promotional item, for example a promotional package for influencers.
All items, regardless of value, being sent to the EU, Canada, Norway or the UK will now require duties, taxes and fees.Business customers will have 3 options when nominating who will pay these landed costs in MPB, Parcel Send and via the APIs.
There are different changes that apply specifically to different platforms. Please refer to the relevant section below for further information.
