Direct-to-EU parcel shipping just got harder, and the volumes show it
EU customs authorities tightened their treatment of low-value ecommerce parcels arriving from third countries in August 2026. China to EU parcel volumes fell sharply year on year as a result. Any brand that serves European customers by posting individual parcels across the border is exposed to the same shift.
UK Low Value Import Threshold Reform Confirmed: £135 Limit to Change from October 2028
HMRC has confirmed the UK’s £135 duty-free import threshold will be reformed, with implementation set for October 2028. No immediate action is required, but brands planning UK entry have until then to build in-market logistics.
Every EU Parcel From Outside Now Carries a Customs Charge
The EU’s €150 duty-free exemption ends in four weeks. In its place is a €3 charge, applied per tariff heading within each consignment. Not as a single flat fee per parcel.