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Upcoming Changes to Shipping to the European Union

The European Union (EU) is introducing significant changes to how international parcels are treated starting July 1, 2026, with changes to French-bound shipments starting March 1, 2026. Read on to understand what this means for your international shipments with Chit Chats.

Update: July 7, 2026

Shipping Updates for Denmark and Luxembourg 

We’re pleased to share that shipping has officially resumed to Denmark and Luxembourg. Denmark & Luxembourg no longer require an IOSS number, and you can continue shipping as usual.

Beginning August 31, 2026, Germany may also discontinue DDU shipping. Our team is monitoring this and will be sure to keep you updated.

We’re continuing to monitor developments across the European Union, as other countries may adopt similar IOSS requirements. At this time, countries we’re monitoring include, but are not limited to:

  • Austria
  • Bulgaria

We’ll continue to share updates as more information becomes available. If additional countries introduce these requirements, we’ll notify you and update this blog accordingly. You can also see our recent webinar on EU shipping changes here.

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How is the customs duty fee applied?

This is per line time – for each individual HS code listed for your package. If you have only one HS code with a quantity of 50 items you will only see the fee listed once. If you are shipping in one package 2 different HS codes you will see the fee twice.

How to provide the IOSS/VAT number? Is it ok to just write it on the package?

The IOSS or VAT MUST be provided eletronically in the customs reference field. Avoid simply writing it on the package. This must also be provided in the correct format – reference our support article for guidance.

Will the IOSS number be automatically imported if I have my store/platform connected with my Chit Chats account?

Currently only eBay supports the IOSS being imported automatically when importing shipments via the direct integration. All other platforms (Shopify, Etsy etc.) – you will need to update the shipment manually before purchasing postage.

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.

Reminder:

IOSS numbers cannot be used for shipments over 150 euros.

Therefore, this new €3 customs duty only applies to shipments valued at €150 or less. Shipments valued over €150 are not subject to this new duty and will continue to be assessed duties and taxes under the existing customs rules.

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

Note:

Shipment items are determined by the number of lines on the customs declaration, not the quantity of products. For example, if you list 1 red pen and 1 blue pen on separate lines, they count as 2 shipment items, even though there are only two pens.

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.

Shipping to Denmark & Luxembourg

Starting tomorrow, June 25, shipping to Denmark and Luxembourg will be temporarily paused due to recent EU changes requiring an IOSS number for all shipments entering the two destinations. Our partner has informed us that DDU (Delivery Duties Unpaid) shipping to these locations will not be available as of July 1 as a system is currently not in place for the new process.

We know changes like this are unexpected, and we truly appreciate your understanding. While this update came together quickly, our team is already digging into solutions and exploring the best path forward.

  • Shipments received by end of day June 25 will be shipped out.
  • Shipments received after June 25 (i.e. June 26 onwards) will be returned to you so you can initiate a postage refund.

Germany has also announced plans to implement this reform; however, implementation won’t happen until the end of August. At this time, shipments to Germany remain unaffected and continue to be accepted as usual.

There may be similar changes to Austria and Bulgaria, but we are waiting for formal confirmation.

As always, we are keeping a close eye on the situation and will share updates as soon as more information becomes available. Thank you for your patience and continued trust in Chit Chats. Our team remains committed to keeping you informed and helping you navigate any changes that may affect your international shipping.

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; however, this date remains subject to change.

As of now, France is the only EU country that has implemented a handling fee (since March 1, 2026). France-bound shipments that do not have an IOSS number will subject the recipient to any applicable VAT (value-added-tax) duties as well as the €2 handling fee. 

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.

Starting July 1, 2026, the European Union (EU) will remove the duty-free entry for low valued shipments (de minimis entry) and replace it with a fixed customs duty. Previously, parcels with a value below €150 entering the EU did not incur customs duties; however, they were subject to value-added-tax (VAT).

The EU is introducing these changes to:

  • Level the playing field between local EU sellers and international non-EU sellers.
  • Address the increase in imports through e-commerce.

According to the conseil, this is part of an initiative intended to unify the EU’s customs processes, with further changes expected in 2028.

Under the new rules:

  • Every parcel with a total value of €150 or less imported into one of the 27 EU member states will be subject to a flat customs duty of €3. 
  • This will be in effect between July 1, 2026 and July 1, 2028 (end date is subject to change).
  • The EU conseil is considering handling fees; however, this has not been finalized at a EU-wide level and currently varies between member states.
    • Shipments cleared in participating EU member states (Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Belgium) will be subject to a €2 handling fee per shipment line item (excluding France). 
    • France has implemented the handling fee as of March 1, 2026.

How This Affects You (Chit Chats International Tracked)

As our international partner is located in the Netherlands, applicable customs duty rules and handling fees will take effect starting July 1, 2026. However, there will be an exception for shipments destined for France (including its overseas territories [Outre-mer] such as Martinique and Guadeloupe). France has implemented handling fees as of March 1, 2026; therefore, shipments heading to this region will follow a different process when no IOSS number is provided.

How will this work? (until July 1)

  • If a shipment destined for the EU includes an IOSS number, it will clear customs in the Netherlands, where our partner processes international shipments.
  • For shipments that do not include an IOSS number, customs clearance will take place in the country of destination. As France is implementing a handling fee ahead of other EU countries, recipients in France will be required to pay a €2 handling fee, in addition to any applicable value-added tax (VAT).

If an IOSS number is provided (after July 1):

  • At this time, we are awaiting further instruction on how handling fees and customs fees will apply for the sender. We will provide further updates once the procedure is confirmed.
  • The VAT will continue to be waived and the recipient will not be required to pay any additional value-added-taxes upon delivery.