Upcoming Changes to Shipping to the European Union

The European Union (EU) is introducing significant changes to how international parcels are treated. Read on to understand what this means for your international shipments with Chit Chats.

Update: October 23, 2026

Important Update: Germany Shipments Over €150

Following additional guidance from our international shipping partner, Chit Chats has temporarily suspended all shipments to Germany without a valid IOSS number, regardless of shipment value.

This includes shipments valued over €150, which we previously indicated would not be affected.

What does this mean for your shipments?

• €150 or less with a valid IOSS number: Shipments continue to be accepted.
• €150 or less without a valid IOSS number: Temporarily suspended.
• Over €150: Temporarily suspended

We are awaiting further guidance from the German Customs Administration and our international shipping partner. This suspension will remain in place until further notice, and we will provide updates as soon as more information becomes available.

Germany: Temporary Suspension of Non-IOSS Shipments

Starting today, October 23, 2026, Chit Chats is temporarily pausing acceptance of Germany-bound shipments valued under €150 that do not have a valid Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) number.

This change comes ahead of Germany’s new IOSS requirements taking effect on October 31, 2026.

What does this mean for your shipments?

• Shipments under €150 without a valid IOSS number: Temporarily suspended. Rates will no longer be available on the Chit Chats platform.
• Shipments under €150 with a valid IOSS number: Still accepted! Just make sure your IOSS number is submitted electronically via the Chit Chats platform.
• Shipments over €150: Not affected by this change. (See above)

What happens to affected shipments?

• Shipments received on or after October 23: These will be returned to you, and you can request a refund for your unused postage.
• Shipments already in transit: Any affected shipments in our international transport partner’s network that cannot clear customs before the cutoff (October 31) will be held and returned to Chit Chats.

We understand that these changes may affect your shipping plans. Our team is actively working on a solution to resume accepting non-IOSS shipments to Germany, and we’ll keep you updated as soon as we have more information to share!

EU Handling Fee: Coming November 1, 2026

Another change is on the way! Starting November 1, 2026, qualifying shipments to all 27 EU member states will be subject to the following fees:

• Union Handling Fee: €2 per shipment item
• Union Handling Broker Fee: €0.10 per shipment item

These fees are in addition to the existing €3 customs duty and associated broker fee.

How will these fees be collected?

It depends on whether your shipment has a valid IOSS number:

• Shipments with a valid IOSS number: The fees will be included when you purchase postage through Chit Chats.
• Eligible shipments without an IOSS number: Applicable fees will be collected from the recipient before delivery instead.

To help you prepare, we’re planning to introduce these fees on the Chit Chats platform starting October 28, ahead of the official implementation date.

What about shipments sent during the transition?

Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with credits and postage adjustments:

• Clearing customs before November 1: If you were charged the new handling fees, we’ll credit them back to your account.
• Clearing customs on or after November 1: Postage adjustments will apply if the applicable handling fees weren’t collected when you purchased postage.

Product Identifiers (PIDs): More Updates Coming Soon

Wondering about the upcoming Product Identifier (PID) requirements? We haven’t forgotten!

We know you’re looking for more details about these upcoming requirements for EU-bound shipments. Our team is continuing to monitor these changes closely, and we’ll share more information as soon as it becomes available.

Stay tuned for more updates to help you prepare your shipments and stay ahead of these new requirements!

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Update: October 16, 2026

Changes are coming to shipping to the European Union (EU), and we’re here to help you stay one step ahead!

With several new customs requirements taking effect in the coming weeks, we want to make sure you’re prepared and know what to expect when shipping to your European customers.

From new fees to additional product information requirements, here’s a breakdown of what’s changing, when these updates take effect, and what they mean for your shipments.

Germany: New IOSS Requirements

Starting October 31, Germany will require an Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) number for eligible shipments entering the country.

This means that shipments to Germany must include a valid IOSS number to qualify for postage through Chit Chats. Shipments without the required IOSS information will no longer be eligible.

We are working on a solution to ensure non-IOSS shipments can be sent to Germany–more information to come.

What does this mean for your shipments?

• IOSS numbers only apply to shipments valued at €149.99 or less. Shipments destined to Germany that are valued at €150 and above remain unaffected.
• Additional customs charges will apply. Shipments using an IOSS number will be subject to the €3 customs duty fee and €0.15 declaration fee introduced by the EU on July 1, 2026.
• Missing IOSS information will prevent you from purchasing postage. Be sure to have the necessary details ready before preparing your shipments.
  • The last day shipments going to Germany at €149.99 or less without an IOSS number will be Friday, October 23. 

If you regularly ship to Germany, we recommend getting an IOSS number now to avoid disruptions when these changes take effect.

New EU-Wide Handling Fee

The handling fee previously announced for the Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg), which had been postponed, is now expected to apply across the entire European Union beginning November 1.

Here’s what we know:

• This applies to your shipments: Business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce shipments imported into the EU.
• How much it costs: €2 per customs item (declaration line), rather than a flat fee per shipment.
• Additional taxes: Value-added tax (VAT) will also apply to the handling fee.

How are customs items calculated?

A customs item, also known as a declaration line or line-item, refers to a product listed separately on your shipment’s customs declaration.

For example, if you’re shipping one red pen and two blue T-shirts, your customs declaration would contain two separate declaration lines, resulting in a €4 handling fee before VAT.

This is an important distinction, especially if you ship packages containing multiple types of products!

Our development team is currently working on incorporating this fee into the Chit Chats platform. We’ll share more details about how these changes will be reflected when purchasing postage as they become available.

New Product Identifier (PID) Requirements

Alongside the new handling fee, the EU will also introduce product identification requirements for imported shipments with a value of €150 or less on November 1.

Product identifiers help identify and distinguish the goods included in a shipment. There are three types to be aware of:

Identifier	Description
Merchant PID (M-PID)	A merchant-assigned SKU or product reference number.
Non-Standardized Manufacturer PID (NS-PID)	A manufacturer-assigned product model or variant number.
Standardized Manufacturer PID (S-PID)	A standardized product identifier, such as a UPC, ISBN, or barcode number.

Which identifiers will you need?

The information required will depend on the type of product you’re shipping.

For most products:

• A Merchant PID (M-PID) is required.
• A Non-Standardized Manufacturer PID (NS-PID) is required.
• A Standardized Manufacturer PID (S-PID) can also be included, if available.

For handmade goods, collectibles, artwork, and antiques:

These product identifiers are not mandatory. However, we recommend including them whenever the information is available.

Our tip: Start reviewing your product catalogue now to make sure you have the necessary identifiers ready. Having this information organized in advance can help make the transition to the new requirements much smoother!

What has changed this year

With several changes happening close together, here’s a quick recap to help you stay organized.

Date	What’s changing?
July 1, 2026	Introduction of the €3 IOSS customs duty fee and €0.15 declaration fee.
October 31, 2026	IOSS numbers become mandatory for eligible shipments to Germany through Chit Chats.
November 1, 2026	The €2 per declaration line handling fee takes effect across the EU for B2C e-commerce imports.
November 1, 2026	New Product Identifier (PID) requirements take effect for applicable products entering the EU.

We’re Here to Help You Prepare!

We know that navigating international customs requirements can sometimes feel complicated, especially when several changes happen at once.

That’s why our team is working behind the scenes to make this transition as smooth as possible!

Our development team is actively preparing updates to the Chit Chats platform to accommodate the new requirements, making it easier for you to provide the necessary customs information when preparing your shipments.

What can you expect next?

We’ll continue sharing updates as more information becomes available, including any important shipping deadlines for shipments that don’t yet meet the new requirements.

In the meantime, we encourage you to review your product information and familiarize yourself with these upcoming changes so you’re ready when they take effect.

Thank you for choosing Chit Chats as your shipping partner. We’re committed to helping you navigate these changes and keeping your business moving, wherever your customers may be!

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Update: June 26, 2026

As of June 29, the Chit Chats platform will be implementing the €3 customs duty fee (~$4.87 CAD) ahead of its July 1 effective date. This is being done as shipments leaving on or after June 29 are expected to arrive in European Union customs on July 1 or later.

This will prevent potential customs delays or delivery issues for your EU-bound shipments.

Please note that shipments created and shipped before June 29 may still be subject to the new requirements if they arrive at EU customs on or after July 1. In these cases, postage adjustments may be applied for the applicable fees charged during customs processing.

This fee will be applied only when an IOSS number is provided electronically. If no valid IOSS number is provided, the fee will be collected from the recipient; therefore, ensure that recipient information is accurate.

Similar to the tariffs and customs-related fees applied to U.S.-bound shipments, this fee appears as its own line item within the postage cost breakdown, providing greater transparency into applicable import-related charges. The fees would be as follows:

• Customs duty fee: €3.00 per line item
• Customs declaration fee: €0.15 fee per line item

Therefore, there will be a total of €3.15 (~$5.12 CAD) per line item in addition to the postage of the shipment. 

*Currencies are automatically converted to CAD

Example of how it works:
If your shipment contains:

• 1 T-shirt
• 2 mugs
• 3 pens

and each product is listed as its own line on the customs declaration, the shipment contains 3 shipment items, resulting in a total fee of €9.45 (3 × €3.15). ~15.32 CAD

Our team is working on scheduling a webinar regarding these recent changes. Please stay tuned to our blog as a date will be shared soon.

Handling Fee

The BENELUX countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg) will no longer implement the €2 handling fee as of July 1. The effective date has been postponed to November 1 and will apply to all of the EU; however, this date remains subject to change.

We are here to help

We understand that there are several upcoming changes affecting shipments to the EU. Please bookmark this blog and check back regularly as we continue to share the latest updates as new information becomes available.

Our team is actively working to stay ahead of these developments and to ensure we are aware of any new processes or requirements as they arise. Keeping you informed remains our top priority, and we are committed to providing timely updates to support you through these changes.