Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, in a written answer on 29 June 2026, sought to reassure postal operators that the removal of the customs duty de minimis threshold will not disrupt cross-border postal flows, pointing to a guidance document published on 3 June and ongoing dialogue with international postal bodies. The answer, responding to a question from S&D MEP Alex Agius Saliba, confirms that the temporary EUR 3 customs duty will apply from 1 July 2026, with e-commerce platforms and sellers primarily responsible for payment, using existing customs legislation and IT systems.
The question, submitted on 31 March 2026, raised concerns about disproportionate administrative complexity, additional data requirements, and potential divergence from Universal Postal Union (UPU) standards. Šefčovič acknowledged the UPU legal framework and the challenges expressed by EU postal operators, but stressed that EU secondary legislation lays down common rules and definitions to avoid diverging data requirements across the EU and to prevent loopholes. The guidance document of 3 June 2026 highlights specific options for postal operators, and the Commission has consulted postal operators during the legislative process, with dialogue set to continue. The Commission will monitor implementation closely and address relevant issues in the review of Council Regulation (EU) 2026/382, which eliminated the EUR 150 exemption in January 2026.
a published guidance document, continued consultation, and a review clause. Policy orientation is towards maintaining harmonised customs procedures while ensuring effective collection of the new duty. Institutional follow-up includes monitoring by the Commission and a potential revision of the regulation based on operational experience. Stakeholders impacted include EU postal operators (facing systems adjustments but receiving guidance), e-commerce platforms (now primarily liable for duty payment), consumers (potentially affected by processing delays or costs), and customs authorities (tasked with uniform enforcement).