New EU customs reforms will hit shoppers purchasing goods under €150

The reforms are also set to stop e-commerce giants like Amazon from charging customers hidden fees or unexpected paperwork when the parcel arrives.

The changes to e-commerce policy are expected to bring additional customs revenues to around €1bn per year.

Plans for new EU e-commerce customs rules are expected to hit shoppers for parcels worth under €150 for first time.

The European Commission said that the current threshold, whereby goods valued at less than €150 are exempt from customs duty, is “heavily exploited by fraudsters”.

“Up to 65% of such parcels entering the EU are currently undervalued, to avoid customs duties on import,” said the EU body.

The changes to e-commerce policy are expected to bring additional customs revenues to around €1bn per year.

E-commerce giants like Amazon will be impacted by the new regulations under the proposals, as they will be prohibited from charging customers hidden fees or unexpected paperwork when the parcel arrives.

Reforms by the executive body would ensure e-commerce companies guarantee that customs duties and VAT are paid at the initial purchase stage.

The plans are part of proposals by the European Commission to reform the EU Customs Union, which was established in 1968. The reforms will be sent to the European Parliament and the EU Council for agreement, and to the European Economic and Social Committee for consultation.

A new EU Customs Authority to oversee an EU Customs Data Hub, which is anticipated to act as a single online portal for importers, is also set to be created as part of the proposals.

This hub aims to replace the existing customs IT infrastructure across the EU, saving member states up to €2bn a year in operating costs.

The data hub would open for e-commerce consignments in 2028, followed on a voluntary basis by other importers in 2032.

The Commission said it proposed these reforms in response to “the current pressures under which EU Customs operates, including a huge increase in trade volumes, especially in e-commerce, a fast-growing number of EU standards that must be checked at the border, and shifting geopolitical realities and crises”.