ABOLITION OF THE EUR 150 DUTY-FREE IMPORT THRESHOLD FOR SHIPMENTS TO THE EUROPEAN UNION

09.09.2026

Dear Сustomers,

Under the customs clearance rules for shipments to the European Union, applicable from July 1, 2026, these changes directly affect B2C shipments containing low-value goods.

Please ensure that your processes comply with the new requirements in order to avoid delays, additional costs and possible return of shipments, in particular:

1. Abolition of the EUR 150 duty-free import threshold. The EUR 150 threshold, under which goods could previously be imported into the EU without payment of customs duty, has been abolished.

2. Fixed duty of EUR 3 per item. For B2C shipments with a value of up to EUR 150, a fixed duty of EUR 3 applies to each tariff line. Additional processing fees may also be charged.

Please take these costs into account in your financial model in advance and, if necessary, include them in the price of the goods for end customers.

3. Mandatory indication of Product Identifiers (PID). For each tariff line, a correct and valid product identifier must be indicated in the commercial invoice and shipment data (SKU; GTIN; model number; EAN; UPC, etc.).

Failure to provide a PID, or providing an incorrect PID, may result in the shipment being held by European customs, a request for additional information, or the return of the shipment.

For proper processing of invoices by customs authorities at the destination, it is necessary:

1. Ensure that a valid PID is entered for each tariff line in the accompanying documents and electronic shipment data.

2. Take the new customs duties and possible processing fees into account when calculating the cost of shipments.

SKU – this is the internal product code or item number. Just as every product in B2C has its own item number, this is the SKU.

EAN / UPC – this is the standard barcode, for example, the barcode you see on a product when you purchase something in a store.

A model number – if the product is unique, simply indicate the manufacturer's model number.

How it should now be indicated:

Before: Women's cap – 2 pcs.

After: White summer cap – 2 pcs. (Item code: CAP-WHT-01)

In addition to the above:

If you are sending a shipment as a private individual, the system and customs authorities do not require a commercial SKU. Instead, you should describe each item in the invoice as accurately and honestly as possible (description of contents), so that the customs officer can clearly understand what the item is.

Incorrect for private individuals: “Clothing – 3 pcs.”, “Gift – 1 pc.”

Correct for private individuals: “Men's used cotton blue T-shirt – 1 pc.”, “Used leather wallet – 1 pc.”, “Children's toy, plastic car – 1 pc.”

In other words, for ordinary individuals, the PID/SKU requirement does not apply because they do not manufacture or sell goods wholesale. This rule is specifically aimed at commercial businesses and marketplaces.


Faithfully yours,

Administration of RIKA LLP