Effective today – July 1, 2026, the European Union (EU) is implementing new duties for certain
packages entering countries that follow EU customs rules.
What to Expect
- For the new duties, customers should expect a flat €3 customs duty per line item (i.e., for each
unique 6-digit HS Code on their customs form) for business-to-consumer shipments valued at up
to €150 and for consumer-to-consumer shipments valued at over €45 and up to €150. - Exact charges may vary depending upon the destination country, and additional country-specific
duties, taxes, and fees may apply. - USPS systems (i.e., retail service counters, Click-n-Ship, certain USPS APIs, and Global
Shipping Software (GSS)) will capture the estimated costs for many countries during checkout,
reflecting the real-time exchange rate between the euro and U.S. dollar.
Payment and USPS DDP - The new EU customs charges are non-refundable and must be paid alongside other applicable
customs fees. - USPS’s Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) service will be available via certain USPS systems to prepay
all estimated duties, taxes, and fees for many EU destination countries. The final list of
destinations accepting USPS DDP will be available at
https://www.usps.com/international/prepaid-import-duties.htm once finalized. Some countries may
require USPS DDP. - To avoid delays, returned packages, or additional costs, it is important that shippers accurately
complete their customs forms with a sufficiently detailed description of contents and opt in to use
USPS DDP for all DDP-eligible countries. - If shipping to countries without DDP, USPS systems will provide guidance on how to handle the
new EU duties on a country-by-country basis. - USPS DDP is available with Priority Mail Express International (PMEI), Priority Mail International
(PMI), and First-Class Package International Service (FCPIS). Please note that USPS DDP is
unavailable for PostalOne!, permit mailers, and mailers who create shipping manifests or labels
without using USPS software or APIs.
Learn more about USPS DDP at https://www.usps.com/international/prepaid-import-duties.htm.