Reps customs in European Union
Since 1 July 2026 there is no €150 duty-free limit in the EU any more. Until 1 July 2028 a flat customs duty of €3 per item applies to parcels worth up to €150, and 'item' means each type of goods (tariff line), not each piece: five T-shirts are €3, a T-shirt and a watch are €6. VAT has been due on every import since 1 July 2021. Small parcels with fake branded goods can be destroyed: customs tell you first and you have 10 working days to object.
Duty and tax
- Regulation (EU) 2026/382 deletes the €150 duty relief and applies from 1 July 2026.Source: Regulation (EU) 2026/382
- From 1 July 2026 until 1 July 2028, a duty of €3 per item applies to consignments worth up to €150 in total (for IOSS imports and postal parcels, in the regulation's words).Source: Regulation (EU) 2026/382
- 'Per item' means per tariff classification, not per piece: 5 T-shirts = €3, 1 T-shirt + 1 watch = €6.Source: European Commission guidance
- The Commission's guidance says the €3 applies to distance sales whatever the VAT scheme; the regulation's wording names IOSS and postal parcels. The two are worded differently.Source: European Commission guidance
- The seller or importer declares and pays the €3 duty.Source: European Commission
- A separate handling fee is planned; the Commission says its amount and start date will be set in autumn 2026, so it is not final.Source: European Commission guidance
- VAT is due on every import, whatever the value: the €22 VAT exemption ended on 1 July 2021.Source: European Commission, buying online
- VAT is either paid at checkout (IOSS, for parcels up to €150) or collected by the post or courier on delivery, who may also charge a clearance fee.Source: European Commission, buying online
Fake branded goods
- A small consignment is a postal or courier parcel with three units or less, or under 2 kg.Source: Regulation (EU) 608/2013
- Customs tell you within one working day and say they intend to destroy the goods; you have 10 working days to give your view.Source: Regulation (EU) 608/2013
- If you do not answer in time, customs may treat that as agreement to destruction.Source: Regulation (EU) 608/2013
- If you object, the brand owner must start court action within 10 working days, or the goods are released.Source: Regulation (EU) 608/2013
- The rule that leaves non-commercial goods alone applies to travellers' luggage only, not to parcels.Source: Regulation (EU) 608/2013
If customs stop your parcel
- Answer the customs notice within 10 working days (Regulation 608/2013, Article 26); the national customs office named in the letter handles it.Source: Regulation (EU) 608/2013
Other countries
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Questions
Do I pay customs on reps shipped to the EU?
Since 1 July 2026 there is no €150 duty-free limit in the EU any more.
What happens if customs in the EU stop a parcel with fakes?
A small consignment is a postal or courier parcel with three units or less, or under 2 kg. Customs tell you within one working day and say they intend to destroy the goods; you have 10 working days to give your view. If you do not answer in time, customs may treat that as agreement to destruction. If you object, the brand owner must start court action within 10 working days, or the goods are released. The rule that leaves non-commercial goods alone applies to travellers' luggage only, not to parcels.
How do I challenge a seizure in the EU?
Answer the customs notice within 10 working days (Regulation 608/2013, Article 26); the national customs office named in the letter handles it.
This is general information from official government and EU pages, checked on 20 October 2026; it is not legal advice. Rules changed often in 2025 and 2026, so open the linked source before you rely on it. GRAILS sells nothing and is not an agent.