SERVICE UPDATES

Upcoming EU Import Changes – Effective 1 July 2026

From 1 July 2026, there will be some important changes to how low-value shipments are imported into the EU.

What’s changing?

Previously, goods valued at €150 or less could be imported without paying customs duty. This exemption is being removed.

Going forward, a €3 customs duty will apply per line on the customs declaration for shipments valued at €150 or less.

A “line” usually refers to each type of product in the shipment (based on its classification), so shipments with multiple item types may incur multiple €3 charges.

Are there any exceptions?

Yes:

Business recipients (VAT-registered): Standard duty rates will apply instead of the €3 fee.

Free Trade Agreement shipments: Duty relief may still apply if the shipment is not sold under the IOSS scheme.

If the shipment is sold under IOSS, the €3 fee will still apply per line.

What about VAT?

No change here — VAT is still charged on all imports, regardless of value (this has been in place since 2021).

New information required for shipments

For shipments valued at €150 or less (excluding VAT-registered business imports), we will now need additional product details:

Product identifier (e.g. SKU or item code)

Manufacturer product identifier (if available)

Standardised product identifier (e.g. barcode/GTIN, if available)

This information must be provided so customs can process shipments correctly.

Some couriers leave parcels in insecure locations outside our facility when we are closed. Veho, UniUni, and OnTrac have a history of this.  We cannot take responsibility for loss or damage if a parcel is left outside our facility.

We recommend providing clear delivery instructions and scheduling deliveries during business hours whenever possible. Where goods are higher value, use premium courier services that operate within standard business hours such as DHL, FedEx, or UPS.  These couriers all make additional delivery attempts rather than leaving the package unattended.

From 17 March 2026, new regulations in Poland will affect the transport of certain clothing, textiles, and footwear, including both new and used clothing.

Key Limits per Parcel

• Clothing and textiles (new or used): over 10 kg
• Footwear: more than 20 individual shoes (10 pairs)
• Mixed parcels are allowed as long as these limits are not exceeded

The SENT system is a Polish government platform that monitors shipments to prevent tax fraud and smuggling. 

It applies to imports, exports, domestic transport within Poland, and goods passing through Poland.

Currently, UPS has announced operational limits due to SENT. Other couriers may also take similar measures to comply with these rules.

Please take these limits into account when sending shipments to or from Poland.

We are currently experiencing USPS delivery delays; packages may be marked as delivered but can take up to a week longer to arrive at our warehouse. For urgent shipments, please consider using an alternative courier.

The temporary 90-day free storage period introduced to support the MyGermany customer migration will be ending soon, and our standard storage terms will resume. Please review any parcels currently stored in your account.

Due to the current situation in the Middle East, several countries in the region have temporarily closed or restricted their airspace. This has significantly impacted international passenger and cargo flights that normally transit through the region.

As a result, major courier networks including DHL, UPS and FedEx are implementing contingency plans such as rerouting aircraft, adjusting transport routes and prioritising employee safety.

While services continue to operate, customers may experience:

• Longer transit times
• Routing changes for some shipments
• Short-notice service adjustments
• Temporary delays on certain international routes

Air freight capacity has decreased due to airspace closures across several Middle Eastern countries, which may affect shipments moving between Asia, Europe and other global regions.

We are closely monitoring updates from our courier partners and will continue to process shipments normally wherever possible.