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.
DHL Globalmail Halts UK-to-EU Shipments – What Brands Need to Do Now

DHL Globalmail suspended UK-to-EU parcel shipments on 24 June 2026 because the product has no Delivered Duty Paid solution for the EU’s new €3 customs charge. DHL Express — a separate product — is unaffected. Brands using Globalmail for UK-to-EU routes need to switch carrier or move to EU-based fulfillment.
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.