From 1 July 2026, a new fixed customs fee will apply to goods valued at up to €150 ordered from online stores outside the European Union.
The fee will amount to €3 for each commodity item. The new rules will affect consumers who purchase goods from foreign online platforms, including popular Asian marketplaces.
According to the Financial Administration of Slovakia, the measure is a response to the sharp increase in the number of low-value parcels arriving from third countries, which has created additional pressure on customs services. The temporary system will remain in place until the launch of a pan-European customs data hub, scheduled for 2028.
A “commodity item” refers to goods that share the same customs code, description, and country of origin. The quantity of individual items is irrelevant. For example, if a customer orders three identical T-shirts with a total value of €9, they will be treated as a single commodity item, meaning the customs fee will be €3.
However, if a parcel contains a T-shirt and a pair of socks with a combined value of €8, customs authorities will treat them as two separate commodity items. In that case, the fee will amount to €6.
The new rules will apply to goods sold through distance selling and imported into the EU from countries outside the Union.
