France suspends national small-shipment levy – EU-wide flat customs duty begins

Paris – 01.07.2026: France suspends the levy of 2 euros per small shipment, collected since March 2026, with effect from 1 July. The move follows the start of a unified EU-wide rule: for consignments with a goods value below 150 euros, a flat customs duty of 3 euros per goods category is now payable. With the European solution, the French special rule is eliminated, which in recent months had been circumvented by some platforms and parts of the supply chain.

The new EU rule stems from a decision by the Council of the European Union and ends the previous duty-free threshold for small shipments. Instead of variable or complex calculations, a fixed amount per category applies, which is intended to simplify processing and harmonize competitive conditions in the single market. Paris had acted nationally in advance to curb the sharp increase in low-priced imports from third countries and to create pressure for an accelerated European agreement.

Industry associations in France welcome the change. Representatives of transport and logistics point out that a purely national levy would be difficult to enforce at the EU external borders if goods flows entered via other entry points. A uniform EU-wide collection is expected to close loopholes and increase planning certainty. At the same time, companies are preparing for operational adjustments – from declarations and IT interfaces to the interfaces between platforms, postal and courier services, and customs authorities.

The Ministry of Economy emphasizes that the suspension of the national levy is not retroactive. As of 1 July, the EU customs rules are decisive. Administration is preparing updates to IT systems and procedural rules so that the fixed customs amount can be recorded and paid automatically and correctly. For consumers, the change means that additional fixed costs may be incurred on orders from third countries – depending on the number and type of categories ordered.

Economic effects are still difficult to quantify. Experts expect that retailers will adjust their logistics and bundling to reduce the number of categories subject to customs per shipment. In the short term, cost increases on small purchases could be noticeable; in the medium term, the harmonization should simplify processes and reduce administrative burdens. Consumer organisations are calling for clear notices at online checkouts so that final prices including customs are transparent.

By switching from a national to a European solution, the EU strengthens common trade policy in the e-commerce segment. In the coming weeks it will become apparent how smoothly the transition works in day-to-day operations – at parcel centres, in customs systems and on platforms that must adapt their pricing and shipping models.