EU Parcel Levy Marks First Step Towards Fairer Competition
July 22, 2026
New €3 customs levy on low-value imports signals a broader shift towards stronger customs enforcement and greater supply chain accountability across Europe.
On 1 July 2026, the European Union introduced a temporary €3 customs levy on low-value parcels valued at €150 or less entering the EU from third countries.
While the levy is expected to increase the cost of many direct-to-consumer imports, ETIRA believes its greatest significance lies elsewhere. It represents the first practical step towards a wider reform of the EU customs system and a stronger focus on ensuring that products entering the European market comply with European legislation.
For many years, ETIRA has argued that European remanufacturers, distributors and compliant importers have faced an uneven competitive environment. Businesses placing products on the EU market must meet obligations under legislation, including WEEE, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), REACH, CLP and other product and environmental regulations. These requirements create genuine compliance costs that are not always reflected in the price of products imported directly through low-value parcel channels.
The new levy does not replace these obligations, nor does it remove the competitive advantage enjoyed by some low-cost imports. However, it begins to address one element of the imbalance while supporting customs authorities as wider reforms are introduced.
For the imaging supplies industry, the measure is particularly relevant. The economics of direct-to-consumer imports of low-cost compatible cartridges may begin to change, especially as customs authorities increase their focus on traceability, product compliance and supply chain accountability.
The levy should therefore be viewed as part of a much broader direction of travel. Alongside reforms to the Union Customs Code, new product safety requirements, revised CLP rules, Ecodesign legislation and future Digital Product Passports, the European Union is steadily building a regulatory framework based on verifiable traceability and more consistent enforcement.
ETIRA welcomes this first step but believes further progress is needed. A level playing field requires not only effective customs controls but also consistent enforcement of existing legislation across all products entering the European Single Market.
The association will continue to work with European institutions and national authorities to promote policies that support fair competition, encourage remanufacturing, and strengthen the circular economy while ensuring that all market participants operate under the same regulatory framework.