Parliament adopts new e-commerce and customs rules

E-commerce platforms that ship parcels directly to EU consumers will be treated as importers. The new processing fee on goods ordered directly from outside the EU will take effect by 1 November 2026 at the latest. An EU-wide IT system, called the "EU Data Hub", will replace more than 111 existing systems. The new EU Customs Authority will be set up in Lille. On Wednesday, MEPs approved a major reform of the EU Customs Code that introduces stricter rules for e-commerce and creates a new customs authority. The new rules set a processing fee for every item bought from online stores outside the EU and shipped directly to EU consumers. This will help cover the growing costs of handling the flood of individual parcels. The processing fee will be paid by the same entity responsible for paying other customs duties on the same parcel, to avoid the cost being passed on to consumers. The exact amount of the fee will be set by the European Commission and reviewed every two years to keep it proportionate to real costs. Member states will start collecting the fee by 1 November 2026 at the latest. Platform responsibility Sellers and platforms that facilitate the remote sale of goods from outside the EU directly to EU customers will be treated as importers. This will require them to provide customs authorities with all necessary data, pay or guarantee any duties, and ensure goods shipped to Europe comply with EU legislation. To ensure accountability, these companies must be established in the EU or represented by an EU-based entity holding either Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status or "trust and check" trader status. This should prevent the use of shell companies to circumvent the new rules. To encourage bulk shipments that are easier for customs authorities to check, sellers and platforms from third countries are encouraged to use EU-based warehouses. Shipments to their customers within the EU will benefit from a lower processing fee, provided their goods are imported in bulk packaging and in quantities large enough to streamline customs checks. Companies that repeatedly ignore EU rules can be fined at least 1% (and up to 6%) of the total value of goods imported into the EU over the previous 12 months. In addition, customs authorities can suspend, revoke or cancel their "trust and check" trader or AEO status and treat them as high-risk operators. Simplifying procedures Import-export companies that comply with the rules and agree to cooperate transparently with customs authorities can benefit from simplified "trust and check" status. This will initially require them to undergo vetting and give customs authorities access to their electronic systems. In return, their shipments will be checked less often and they will have more flexibility on paying duties and fees. The existing AEO qualification will also remain in place to keep customs status accessible to smaller economic operators. The EU Data Hub The reform will create a new pan-European customs IT system, called the "EU Data Hub", to be managed by the newly created EU Customs Authority (EUCA). It will be available for optional use from 2031 and become mandatory by 2034. The data platform will replace at least 111 software systems currently used by customs authorities across Europe. For companies, it will make declaring goods and communicating with customs authorities faster and easier. For customs authorities, it will improve risk analysis thanks to comprehensive data availability and facilitate cross-border cooperation. The new EU Customs Authority The reform also establishes the EU Customs Authority (EUCA), based in Lille, France. The authority is expected to become fully operational immediately. Its main responsibilities will be coordinating future customs cooperation, ensuring risk management, and running the data platform. Next steps The Council has already given its final formal approval to the reform, making Parliament's green light the last step in the procedure. The reform will be formally signed on Wednesday at 16:00 local time (17:00 Romania time) and published in the EU's Official Journal as soon as possible. It will enter into force the following day, and member states will have to fully apply the new rules after 12 months. Quote Rapporteur Dirk Gotink (EPP, the Netherlands) said: "This is the broadest reform of the European customs system since 1968, backing trade and the enforcement of EU rules. As rapporteur, I have seen first-hand the avalanche of Chinese parcels that break EU rules, don't pay duties and overwhelm our customs. We are ending the highly toxic business model of cheap, non-compliant and dangerous imports from China in favour of trade based on our standards and fairer competition. Finally, we are giving Europe's 80,000 customs officials the tools they need to protect consumers and companies for decades to come." Background The Commission launched the Customs Code reform in May 2023, in response to the growing influx of individual parcels from online platforms outside the EU. These parcels overwhelm EU customs authorities and provide an entry point into the EU for unsafe products.