The European Union has approved the most comprehensive reform of its Customs Union since it was created in 1968. The new Union Customs Code, Regulation (EU) 2026/2108, was adopted on 16 September 2026 and has been in force since 20 September. Its centrepiece is the EU Customs Data Hub: a single digital platform where, from 1 July 2028, every online purchase entering or leaving the EU will be recorded. Most importantly: your shipments with MDE keep working exactly as before, the changes are being phased in gradually until 2034, and we will explain each step to you well in advance.
In short
- What it is: the EU Customs Data Hub is a single customs database for the whole EU. It will replace more than 111 national systems and will be run by the new EU Customs Authority (EUCA), based in Lille (France).
- When: mandatory for e-commerce from 1 July 2028, voluntary for all other businesses from 2031 and mandatory for everyone in 2034.
- What is already changing: the €3 per item duty (since July 2026) and a €2 per item handling fee planned from 1 November 2026, both on purchases arriving in the EU from outside.
- If you receive your parcels in Latin America: the reform governs what enters and leaves the EU; your country's taxes do not change because of it.
- Our commitment: to adapt ahead of every deadline and keep helping you save through consolidation, accurate declarations and choosing the best warehouse.
What the EU Customs Data Hub is
Today each EU country has its own customs IT system and businesses file a declaration for every shipment. The Data Hub changes that model: according to the European Commission, it will be a single point of data entry for the whole EU, where businesses submit the information just once (invoice, product, carrier) and the customs authorities of all 27 countries share it in real time.
The Commission sums it up as a shift from a declaration-based system to a data-based one, and estimates savings of more than €2 billion a year in operating costs. It also makes clear that the level of detail to be provided does not increase (Commission questions and answers, March 2026).
Timeline: what happens and when
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 Jul 2026 | End of the duty exemption for purchases under €150: flat duty of €3 per item (temporary measure until 1 July 2028). |
| 20 Sep 2026 | The new Union Customs Code (Regulation 2026/2108) enters into force. |
| 1 Nov 2026 | Handling fee of €2 per item on online purchases arriving in the EU from outside (planned by the Commission). |
| 2027 | The EU Customs Authority (EUCA) gradually starts operating in Lille. |
| 1 Jul 2028 | The Data Hub becomes mandatory for e-commerce: online shops and platforms record every sale. |
| 2031 | All other businesses may use the Data Hub on a voluntary basis. |
| 1 Mar 2034 | The Data Hub becomes mandatory for all EU imports and exports. |
Sources: European Commission, customs reform and official guidance on the €3 duty.
What changes for online shopping
- Online shops and platforms become the importer. Under the new Code, the non-EU seller or the platform facilitating the sale will be the "importer for distance sales" and must ensure that customs duties and VAT are paid at the time of purchase. According to the Commission, the consumer is no longer the importer, which avoids unexpected charges when the parcel is delivered.
- Stronger product safety checks. Customs will be able to analyse every shipment using data shared across the EU and stop dangerous or counterfeit products before they are shipped.
- Goodbye to the €150 exemption. Since July 2026 every purchase is subject to customs duty. Until 2028 it is a flat duty of €3 per item; after that, duty will be calculated through the Data Hub. We explain it in the new €3 duty and how to pay less.
- €2 handling fee. The Commission has announced that this Union handling fee will apply from 1 November 2026 to online purchases arriving in the EU, replacing the national fees some countries were already charging.
How does it affect you, depending on where you live?
If you live in Latin America and shop in Europe, the USA or China
The reform governs what enters and leaves the European Union. The taxes you pay when your parcel arrives are set by your country, not by the EU, and they do not change because of this reform. From 2028, e-commerce shipments leaving the EU will also be recorded in the Data Hub; we and our carriers handle that formality, so you do not have to do anything.
If you live in the EU and shop outside it (USA, UK, China, Türkiye…)
Here there are changes, and they have already begun: the €3 per item duty since July 2026 and the €2 handling fee planned from November. With the Data Hub, from 2028 the norm will be to pay duties and VAT at checkout, as already happens with VAT in many online shops. Exactly how this will apply to purchases routed through a forwarding warehouse depends on the implementing rules the Commission will publish in the coming months. We will follow them closely and let you know before any change to the way you shop.
If you are a business or buy to resell
The new Code creates the "Trust and Check Trader" status, a trusted operator that will be able to clear goods in its home country and pay duties periodically. Applications open from 2027. If you import frequently, we will help you assess whether it is right for you.
How you will keep saving with us
The changes affect how shipments are declared, not the advantages of shopping with an address in another country. Our way of helping you save remains intact:
- Smart consolidation: combining your purchases into a single shipment cuts international shipping costs by up to 70%. What is more, according to the official guidance, the €3 duty applies per type of product (tariff classification) in the shipment, not per unit: five T-shirts in the same shipment pay €3, not €15.
- Accurate declarations from the start: with our self-managed proforma you declare the real value and description of each product, exactly what data-based systems such as the Data Hub require.
- The warehouse that suits you best: with warehouses in 10 countries, we help you choose where to buy from so you pay less overall.
- Tracking with no surprises: our AI-powered smart tracking keeps you updated at every step, including customs.
We will explain it to you step by step
This is the first in a series of guides on the new European customs system. Before each key date we will publish what changes in practice, with real shipment examples and what you need to do (almost always, nothing). If you have questions about a specific shipment, write to us: we will answer with the regulations in hand.
More context in our guides on how to keep shopping on Shein and AliExpress with the 2026 tariffs and how to handle the new global tariffs.
Shop with peace of mind: we take care of customs
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Frequently asked questions about the EU Customs Data Hub
What is the EU Customs Data Hub?
It is the future single digital platform of EU customs. Businesses will submit the data for each import and export just once, and the customs authorities of all 27 countries will share it. It will be run by the EU Customs Authority (EUCA), based in Lille.
When does it start operating?
It will be mandatory for e-commerce from 1 July 2028, voluntary for all other businesses from 2031 and mandatory for all imports and exports from 1 March 2034.
Has the EU customs reform been approved?
Yes. The European Parliament and the Council adopted the new Union Customs Code, Regulation (EU) 2026/2108, on 16 September 2026, and it entered into force on 20 September 2026. Its measures apply gradually until 2034.
Will I pay more for my online purchases?
If you live in the EU and shop outside it, a €3 per item duty has applied since July 2026 and a €2 per item handling fee is planned from November 2026. Consolidating your purchases and declaring them accurately is still the best way to pay less. If you live outside the EU, your country's taxes do not change because of this reform.
Does anything change for my shipments from Europe to Latin America?
Not in what you pay when you receive them: that depends on your country. From 2028, e-commerce shipments leaving the EU will be recorded in the Data Hub, a formality we handle for you.
What do I need to do now?
Nothing for the time being. We will let you know in advance before any change that affects your shipments and explain step by step how to keep saving.
