Use the July 2026 rules, not an old blanket exemption.
The Council of the EU’s adoption notice describes the removal of threshold-based customs relief and an interim €3 duty per different tariff category from 1 July 2026, with the interim period scheduled through 1 July 2028. The Commission explains that the count is based on tariff classification rather than simply the number of physical pieces.
The legislative text linked by the Council includes conditions for the interim treatment: IOSS-related importation or a postal consignment. Do not assume that every non-postal, non-IOSS route has the same flat-duty arrangement. Ask the route provider which entry method applies and how the actual goods are classified.
For example, several units in the same tariff category do not necessarily create a separate €3 charge for every unit. This is a classification distinction, not a duty calculation for your parcel. Keep the current rule and the carrier’s explanation together when comparing a quote.
Official references: Council of the EU: adopted small-parcel customs rules · Council: legislative text linked to the adoption notice · European Commission: small-parcel duty explanation
Keep duty, VAT and carrier charges separate.
A customs-duty change is not the same as VAT collection or a postal operator’s handling charge. Deutsche Post publishes a separate explanation of charges for recipients. Read the specific carrier’s terms rather than interpreting one combined total as a universal German import rate.
Record whether the quote includes any destination amount and who is responsible for paying it. If tax was collected earlier, retain the receipt and ask which documentation accompanies the parcel. An IOSS or tax-related label in a line name does not by itself establish the treatment of your purchase.
| Field | What you need |
|---|---|
| Import arrangement | Postal or non-postal, any IOSS-related arrangement, and the responsible party. |
| Goods and value | Accurate item descriptions, quantities, materials where relevant and purchase records. |
| Charges included | Transport, duty, VAT and any handling items shown separately. |
| Later payments | Who may contact you, through which official channel and for what charge. |
Official references: Deutsche Post: customs costs for overseas parcels
Make the route comparison reproducible.
Use the same contents, German destination and packing assumptions for each estimate. Record the weight, length, width, height, warehouse and item category. If the packed values are not available, mark them as estimates and leave room in the plan for a revised charge.
Ask about product restrictions before paying for an item that may not fit the route. For mixed clothing and accessories, confirm the complete inventory rather than only the heaviest item. Check address or postcode limitations and keep any instruction about customs documentation with the quote.
Keep transport timing and import handling as separate fields. A quoted transit range cannot establish how long a document review or local collection step will take. Do not choose a line on a claimed clearance-success percentage that lacks an auditable sample.
Respond to a document or payment notice with the right record.
Open the carrier’s official tracking or recipient service directly and confirm the parcel number. Save the notice, deadline, requested document and payment breakdown. Match these with the item invoice and the amounts included in your saved route quote.
If the description, value or charge does not match, ask the party handling the entry to explain or correct that named field. Keep the response and receipt; do not try to solve a discrepancy by inventing a gift description or reducing the purchase value. If collection or an appointment is requested, follow the confirmed instructions for that parcel.
Sources and review date.
Public official references checked . The checklists, message templates and labelled packing example are editorial guidance. We have not placed a test order or observed your account. Use the current terms and records for your own goods and parcel.
- Council of the EU: adopted small-parcel customs rules — July 2026 change, interim duty by tariff category, and its distinction from handling fees.
- Council: legislative text linked to the adoption notice — Article 2 and the IOSS or postal-consignment conditions of the interim treatment.
- European Commission: small-parcel duty explanation — Tariff categories rather than a simple count of physical units.
- Deutsche Post: customs costs for overseas parcels — Import charges and the postal operator’s explanation for German recipients.
- Superbuy official shipping estimator — Destination, warehouse, weight, dimensions and route-specific charging inputs.