Date source: 2026-06-30
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French small parcel tax replaced by European customs duty Published July 1, 2026 - Updated July 6, 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister's Office)
The French import tax known as the "small parcel tax" is suspended as of July 1st. It had been implemented on March 1st, 2026. This suspension follows the entry into force of a new European flat-rate customs duty applicable to all parcels valued at €150 or less entering the European Union.
Image 1 Credits: kite_rin - stock.adobe.com
The Council of the European Union announced on December 12, 2025, measures to address the influx of "small parcels" in the European Union. In a press release, the Council emphasized that these low-value parcels are not subject to customs duties, "a problem that creates unfair competition for EU sellers and raises environmental concerns".
Accordingly, from July 1st, a flat-rate customs duty of €3 applies to all imported parcels valued at €150 or less; this taxation concerns all goods entering the European Union sold by merchants outside the EU.
This €3 customs duty is applied to each category of items in a parcel. For example, if a parcel contains 2 toys, 1 coat, and 2 bottles of perfume, the total customs duty for this parcel is €9 (3 different categories of items in the parcel). And if a parcel contains 3 t-shirts and 1 pair of shoes, the total customs duty is €6 (2 different categories of items in the parcel).
Product categories are defined using the European Combined Nomenclature.
These new customs duties are paid by platforms and sellers who ship goods to the European Union through distance sales.
The Government announced that the national small parcel tax is suspended as of July 1st, as a result of the implementation of these new customs duties at the European level. This tax had been implemented on March 1st, 2026.
In addition to the new customs duties, a European management fee will also apply to "small shipments from distance sales" starting November 1st, 2026. This fee is intended to:
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contribute to covering the costs of customs inspections and monitoring;
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help customs authorities manage the growing volume of parcels entering the European Union.
The terms of this fee, applied at the European level, will be clarified soon.
Laws and references
See also
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Entry into force on July 1st of customs duties on small parcels at EU scale Ministry of Economy
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EU Measures in Response to the Influx of Small Parcels Council of the European Union
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Source: Public Service