EU parcel fee rises to 5 euros, hitting Temu & Shein orders further

People in the Netherlands ordering holiday gifts or bargain items from online shops outside the European Union will soon face higher costs, as the bloc prepares to raise its parcel surcharge in November. An additional 2-euro processing fee will be added to the existing customs levy, taking effect just in time for Sinterklaas and Christmas shopping.

How the 5-euro fee works for online shoppers in the Netherlands

The new charge is part of a proposal by the European Commission. Under the plan, an extra 2 euros per item will be added to cover the rising costs European customs services face when processing and checking low-value imports from outside the EU. Combined with the 3-euro customs duty introduced on July 1, shoppers will pay a total surcharge of 5 euros per item category.

Crucially, the levy applies per product type rather than per package. For example, a single order containing a phone charger, a t-shirt, and a book will incur three separate fees totaling 15 euros in surcharges, on top of standard 21 percent VAT. The European Parliament and European Council have one month to review the plan, with approval widely expected before it comes into effect in early November.

Drop in imports & broader EU customs reform

The initial 3-euro customs levy has already had a dramatic impact on shopping habits in the Netherlands. In July 2026, the first month the fee was introduced, imports of low-value items from outside the EU dropped by 60 percent compared to the same period in 2025, reports RTL. Despite the sharp decline in order volume, the measure generated 35 million euros in revenue for Dutch customs in its first month alone.

The surcharge hike is part of a broader European effort to manage the overwhelming flood of cheap e-commerce goods, over 90 percent of which originate in China. In 2025, an estimated 5,9 billion low-value items entered the EU, a fourfold increase compared to 2022.

To better monitor incoming goods and protect European businesses from unfair competition, the EU plans to establish a centralised European Customs Authority in 2027. European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič highlighted that the reform is "a strategic imperative to safeguard our Single Market, strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and economic security, and better protect our citizens".