EU to add €2 handling fee to low-value imports from outside the EU

From November, consumers in Malta and across the European Union are set to face an additional €2 charge on low-value items purchased from outside the EU.

The charge, known as the ‘Union handling fee’, will come on top of the €3 temporary customs duty introduced in July, as well as any applicable VAT.

According to a MaltaPost representative who spoke with MaltaToday, it is still unclear whether the €2 handling fee will apply per package or according to the individual items or product categories contained in a parcel.

The €3 customs duty, which applies to goods valued at €150 or less, is charged per distinct product category within a consignment rather than per parcel. The temporary duty was introduced on 1st July and is due to remain in place until the EU Customs Data Hub becomes operational, with the current transitional arrangement applying until July 2028.

The new Union Customs Code, published on 19th September, provides the legal basis for the new customs framework, including the Union handling fee. The EU says Member States will begin applying the handling fee no later than 1st November, with the fee intended to cover the costs associated with customs controls and the monitoring of small parcels.

The €2 handling fee is intended to become part of the EU's longer-term customs system, unlike the €3 duty.