EU customs changes in 2026 for Shopify stores: what applies when
Three things change for stores that ship to shoppers in the EU from outside the EU. Since 1st July 2026, a temporary EUR 3 customs duty applies to each item in parcels worth up to EUR 150. From 1st November 2026, up to three product identifiers are required for each product in those parcels, and a Union handling fee of EUR 2 per item has applied since the same day, on parcels of any value (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/2152).
The timeline
A temporary EUR 3 duty applies to each item in parcels worth up to EUR 150. Giving the product identifiers is voluntary.
The product identifiers are required, and customs start enforcing them. The EUR 2 Union handling fee applies from the same day.
- Today, 9th November 2026
The temporary EUR 3 duty ends.
Dates from Delegated Regulations (EU) 2026/1022 and 2026/2152 and the Commission's guidance.
The three changes side by side
| Change | Applies to | Starts | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR 3 customs duty per item | Parcels worth up to EUR 150, sold to consumers in the EU and shipped from outside it | 1st July 2026, until 1st July 2028 | Every item carries EUR 3. Your HS codes and countries of origin decide how many items customs count. |
| Product identifiers (M-PID, NS-PID, S-PID) | The same parcels, worth up to EUR 150 | Voluntary from 1st July 2026; required from 1st November 2026 | Your carrier asks you for up to three codes for each product. Customs start enforcing them on 1st November 2026. |
| Union handling fee of EUR 2 per item | Parcels of any value | 1st November 2026 | Every item carries EUR 2, on top of the EUR 3 duty where it applies. It is not temporary and not refundable. |
More on each: the product identifiers and the EUR 2 handling fee, with worked examples.
What your carrier does and what you do
Your carrier, postal operator or customs agent files the customs declaration. It cannot know your products as you do, so it asks you for the values: the three product identifiers, the HS code and the country of origin of each product. Having the same five values ready on every variant is the whole job.
What does not change
Parcels that stay inside the EU have no import declaration, so none of this applies to them. Sales between businesses are in principle not concerned either.
What to do before 1st November 2026
- Give every variant its own SKU. That is the M-PID. No duplicates and no placeholders such as N/A.
- Record the manufacturer's reference. That is the NS-PID: the maker's model or part number, or your own reference if you make the product.
- Add barcodes, and mark products with none. The barcode is the S-PID. A product with no barcode is declared with the exception Y081.
- Fill in the HS code and country of origin. They decide how many items customs count in a parcel, so how much EUR 3 duty and EUR 2 fee it carries.
- Ask your carrier how it wants the data. Through its API, on the commercial invoice or in an upload file.
Common questions
What are the new EU customs rules for 2026?
Three things: since 1st July 2026 a temporary customs duty of EUR 3 per item applies to parcels worth up to EUR 150, until 1st July 2028; from 1st November 2026 up to three product identifiers are required for each product in those parcels; and a Union handling fee of EUR 2 per item has applied since the same day, on parcels of any value.
Is the EUR 150 threshold still in effect?
EUR 150 is now the limit for two things: the temporary EUR 3 duty and the product identifiers apply to parcels worth up to EUR 150. The EUR 2 handling fee is the part that applies whatever the parcel's value.
Does this affect me if I ship from the UK or the United States?
Yes, if you sell to consumers in the EU and ship from outside it: that is what the Commission calls distance sales of imported goods. Parcels that stay inside the EU have no import declaration.
Do the EUR 3 duty and the EUR 2 fee add up?
Yes. On a parcel worth up to EUR 150 each item carries the EUR 3 duty plus the EUR 2 fee. Worked examples
When does the EUR 3 duty end?
On 1st July 2028. The handling fee is not temporary.
Who asks me for the product identifiers?
Your carrier, postal operator or customs agent, because it files the declaration. What each carrier has published so far is on one page. What to send your carrier
Check your catalogue
PIDReady is a Shopify app that checks every variant for the three identifiers, the HS code and the country of origin, helps you fill the gaps one by one or in bulk, and downloads a file for your carrier. The free plan does every fix, for any size of store.
Questions about the rule, app or no app? Email support@pidready.com: we reply within one working day.
More guides
Sources
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1022 of 30th April 2026 (EUR-Lex). It was published in the Official Journal on 1st July 2026 with 30th June in its title; the Official Journal's corrigendum of 3rd July 2026 corrected that date to 30th April.
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/2152 of 21st September 2026 (EUR-Lex): the Union handling fee is EUR 2 per item. Published in the Official Journal on 22nd October 2026; it applies from 1st November 2026.
- European Commission, guidance on the temporary EUR 3 customs duty and the Union handling fee, version of 5th October 2026