{"id":37985,"date":"2026-02-19T10:47:38","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T10:47:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/?p=37985"},"modified":"2026-02-19T10:13:41","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T10:13:41","slug":"eu-duty-changes-what-to-do-before-july-1-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/eu-duty-changes-what-to-do-before-july-1-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"EU Duty Changes: What to do before July 1, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Following the news that the EU will remove the duty-free threshold for shipments under \u20ac150 on 1 July 2026, we want to share our thoughts on how eCommerce brands can prepare for the change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll provide a quick recap of what\u2019s changing, the potential impact, and actions you can take today to forecast the potential impact and, if necessary, begin making preparations so you\u2019re not caught off guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For a full recap of the changes, we\u2019d recommend you read our <a href=\"\/resources\/news\/duty-free-shipments-into-the-eu-will-end-1-july-2026\/\">original article on the subject.<\/a> Otherwise, we\u2019ll start this article with a quick recap below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In this article<\/p>\n<\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/eu-duty-changes-what-to-do-before-july-1-2026\/#recap-whats-changing\" >Recap: What\u2019s changing?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/eu-duty-changes-what-to-do-before-july-1-2026\/#recap-whats-the-impact\" >Recap: What\u2019s the impact?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/eu-duty-changes-what-to-do-before-july-1-2026\/#what-to-do-before-july-2026\" >What to do before July 2026<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/eu-duty-changes-what-to-do-before-july-1-2026\/#what-are-your-options\" >What are your options?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/eu-duty-changes-what-to-do-before-july-1-2026\/#where-j-j-can-help\" >Where J&amp;J can help<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"recap-whats-changing\"><\/span>Recap: What\u2019s changing?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>From 1 July 2026, the EU will remove the duty-free threshold on shipments under \u20ac150. From this date, a minimum of \u20ac3 customs duty will apply to low-value imports, with the \u20ac3 being charged per tariff classification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That means multi-SKU cross-border shipments could face \u20ac6, \u20ac9, \u20ac12, or even higher duties depending on the makeup of the order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This change follows the removal of the US De Minimis threshold in 2025 and indicates a broader global trend towards more expensive international shipping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"recap-whats-the-impact\"><\/span>Recap: What\u2019s the impact?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The headline here is that from July, cross-border shipping into the EU is getting more expensive. The knock-on effect is not only in your margins, but also in the customer experience and your ability to attract new EU customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The full impact will depend on multiple factors, primarily your intra-EU order makeup, your reliance on EU customers, and how you prepare for the changes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-to-do-before-july-2026\"><\/span>What to do before July 2026<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before committing to any significant changes, it\u2019s good to understand how the new duty rules could affect your business. As we\u2019ve made allusions to in the recap, the real impact will depend on your own real-world order and inventory data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taking the time to review how many orders you receive from EU customers, what customers typically buy, and which tariff codes your products fall under can help you build an accurate picture of costs and make a decision based on evidence rather than gut feelings or assumptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Understanding your exposure&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Assuming you have good order visibility through your order management system or marketplace platform, understanding the cost impact of the tariffs should be relatively straightforward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A good starting point is the last 12 months of EU order data, which should provide an accurate view of your business today while also capturing seasonality and your current product mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Within that 12-month data set, identify the following:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Total number of EU shipments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Average order value of shipments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Average margin of EU shipments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Typical basket composition of shipments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How your products are classified under EU tariffs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In the likely event that you\u2019ve not logged the tariff code for each of your products yet, now would be the time to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can find and attribute tariff codes to your products using this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/trade-tariff\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tariff checker tool.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve organised this data, you can estimate the impact by looking at how many tariff classifications typically appear in each order and applying the \u20ac3 duty per classification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Multiplying this by your annual EU order volume will give you a rough estimate of the additional cost you may face under the new rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-are-your-options\"><\/span>What are your options?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have a better understanding of the cost impact of these changes, it\u2019s time to consider the best path forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are three main options you have right now. Those options are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Absorb the duty<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pass the duty to the customer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Move inventory into the EU<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Each of these options will be suitable for some and unrealistic for others. Let\u2019s take a look at each option in a little more detail and try to judge which might be best for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Option 1: Absorb the duty<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Choosing to absorb the duty means you\u2019ll pay any fees at the border. Good for your customers, but not so good for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The comparison below illustrates when it might make sense to simply absorb the cost, and when it doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Option 1 might be suitable if\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You have high margins that can absorb the extra cost<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You have very low EU order volumes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Most orders are of a single SKU or fall beneath a single tariff code<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Option 1 might <strong>not<\/strong> be suitable if\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You sell low-margin products<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>EU customers make up a noticeable part of your volume<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your orders often contain multiple SKUs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Option 2: Pass the duty to the customer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Passing the duty over to the customer involves charging the duty either at checkout or on delivery. It can be a fair option if implemented properly, and your customer isn\u2019t taken by surprise, or worse, gets their order stuck in customs because an outstanding duty hasn\u2019t been paid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See the comparison below for when passing on the duty might make sense, and when it might not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Option 2 might be suitable if\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You sell low-margin products<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You\u2019re testing the market<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You\u2019re upfront with the cost and communicate it well<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Option 2 might <strong>not<\/strong> be suitable if\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You\u2019re competing with local brands<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You rely on subscriptions and\/or repeat purchases<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You\u2019re trying to break into the EU market and grow market share<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Option 3: Move inventory into the EU<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Moving inventory into the EU means you can bypass per-order tariffs and keep stock closer to your end customer. If the European market isn\u2019t a priority, then the effort likely isn\u2019t worth the reward, but if you\u2019re serious about protecting margin and the customer experience, it\u2019s an option worth considering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once again, here\u2019s when moving inventory into the EU might make sense, and when it probably wouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Option 3 might be suitable if\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You have ambitions to grow in the EU<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You have a large stock profile that risks higher tariffs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You have a consistent or growing EU order volume<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Option 3 might <strong>not<\/strong> be suitable if\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>EU growth isn\u2019t your priority right now<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your brand is in its early stages, with low EU demand<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your brand isn\u2019t ready to manage additional operational complexity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"where-j-j-can-help\"><\/span>Where J&amp;J can help<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s no secret that cross-border eCommerce is becoming more complex and more expensive. The good thing is that as of today, you still have time to prepare and make the necessary adjustments to your fulfilment strategy\u2026 should you deem it necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a global fulfilment partner, J&amp;J specialise in helping eCommerce brands localise fulfilment so they can keep stock closer to their customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re not here to tell you what\u2019s right for your business at the stage it\u2019s at right now, but equally, if you believe <a href=\"\/global-fulfilment\/europe\/\">localised fulfilment in the EU<\/a> might be worth considering, we\u2019re here to help you take those steps or simply have a no-obligation conversation to assess whether localised fulfilment is for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep tuned for more information regarding localised EU fulfilment ahead of the big changes on 1 July 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Following the news that the EU will remove the duty-free threshold for shipments under \u20ac150 on 1 July 2026, we want to share our thoughts on how eCommerce brands can prepare for the change. In this article, we\u2019ll provide a&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":37990,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[375],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ecommerce-insights"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"Ria Kaye","featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/2023-11-15_JJ_FulfilmentCentre-403-600x400.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/2023-11-15_JJ_FulfilmentCentre-403-600x600.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"J&amp;J Global Fulfilment","author_link":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/author\/james-and-james\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37985","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37985"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37985\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37990"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37985"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37985"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37985"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}