EU Customs Union Reform - E-commerce Measures and Data-Driven Architecture

EU Customs & Tariffs News

Published March 26th, 2026

Detected April 1st, 2026

Summary

The European Commission welcomes the landmark agreement between the European Parliament and Council delivering the most ambitious EU Customs Union reform since 1968. The reform establishes a new EU Customs Authority (EUCA) in Lille, France, and introduces an EU Customs Data Hub enabling single data submission for traders across all 27 Member States, projected to save over €2 billion annually in operational costs. The agreement removes duty exemptions for low-value e-commerce parcels valued below €150, addressing the surge of 5.9 billion items entering the EU in 2025 with over 90% from China.

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What changed

The EU Customs Union reform introduces a comprehensive structural overhaul built on three pillars: smarter risk management, a modern e-commerce framework, and stronger business partnerships. Key provisions include establishment of the EU Customs Authority to coordinate operations across all Member States, creation of the EU Customs Data Hub as a single digital interface eliminating the need for traders to navigate multiple national systems, and removal of the duty exemption for parcels valued below €150 agreed in November 2025. The reform rewards trusted traders with simplified procedures while focusing customs resources on high-risk consignments.

E-commerce operators importing low-value goods into the EU, particularly those shipping from China, face immediate impact from the removed duty exemption and must prepare for new compliance requirements under the EUCA framework. Businesses currently operating under multiple national customs systems should begin preparing for integration into the centralized EU Customs Data Hub. Member States will implement the new framework coordinated through the EUCA, with operational cost savings of €2 billion annually flowing to national authorities.

What to do next

Review import procedures for low-value e-commerce parcels under €150 to account for removed duty exemption
Assess readiness for EU Customs Data Hub integration across all EU Member States
Evaluate trusted trader status eligibility for simplified customs procedures

Source document (simplified)

EN Search Available languages: Press release Mar 26, 2026 Brussels 4 min read

Commission welcomes historic agreement to reform EU Customs Union

The Commission welcomes today ' s agreement between the European Parliament and the Council, delivering a landmark reform of the EU Customs Union. T he most ambitious reform of EU customs rules since 1968 introduces new measures for e-commerce and launches a modern, data-driven customs architecture that simplifies procedures and enhances efficiency. With these vital upgrades in place, European customs will be equipped to ad apt to the fast-changing landscape of international trade.

Customs authorities today face a multitude of challenges, including a surge in low-value e-commerce imports, increased risk of unsafe products and fraud, shifting geopolitical trade dynamics, and the threats of organised crime and smuggling. Customs play a vital role in maintaining the safety of the Single Market and its citizens.

T o respond to these challenges, t he Commission put forward a comprehensive customs reform package in May 2023, to update and integrate customs operations across the EU. This r eform is built on three pillars: smarter risk management and customs controls, a modern framework for e-commerce, and a stronger partnership with businesses. Supported by a new EU Customs Authority ('EUCA'), it will digi talise and simplify p rocedures, reduce costs and red tape, promote a more uni form approa ch at th e external border, increase the accountability of online platforms, and better protect the Single Market through stronger, data-driven risk management and enforcement.

A data-driven customs approach

At the heart of the customs reform lies the establishment of a new EU agency, the EU Customs Authority, to be located in Lille, France. It will coordinate and modernise customs operations across all 27 Member States. The EUCA will f acilitate information - sharing and provide risk management at EU-level, thereby enhancing the harmonised implementation of EU c ustoms legislation, as well as the detection and prevention of customs fraud across the Union.

As the engine of the reform, the EU Customs Authority will manage the EU Customs Data Hub, a single digital interface for all customs operations in the EU. The d ata hub will allow businesses to submit data only once, eliminating the need for traders to navigate through multiple national systems. For customs authorities across the EU, this integration of data means access to real-time, first-hand information and a n overarching, EU-level overview. This is expected to save Member States over €2 billion yearly in operational costs.

To facilitate legitimate trade, the reform also strengthens the framework for trusted traders. Businesses with strong compliance records will be rewarded, benefit ing from simplified procedures and fewer controls, allowing customs authorities to focus their resources on high-risk consignments.

A turning point for e-commerce

In 2025, an estimated 5.9 billion low-value items entered the EU in parcels directly shipped to consumers, with over 90% originating from China. The growing volume of trade and complex compliance requirements have made the monitoring of these parcels even more challenging. T his large influx of packages is accompanied by an increase in risks. Many products purchased online from outside the EU do not meet EU standards, raising safety and security concerns for consumers.

The reform introduces several targeted measures to address th e rapid growth in e-commerce.

The Commission and Member States agreed in November 2025, to remove the duty exemption that had been in place so far for parcels valued below € 150. As a temporary solution, they decided to introduce a € 3 duty on these parcels, starting 1 st July 2026. The removal of the threshold aims to level the playing field between e-commerce sales and traditional retail, restoring fairness while maintaining c hoice for c onsumers. Once the Data Hub is fully operational, normal customs duties will apply.

T oday 's agreement also introduces a handling fee on goods imported into the EU, to compensate for the increasing costs for customs authorities. The amount of the fee will be determined in a delegated act and be based on the minimum costs customs authorities face when processing goods. The costs arise from the IT and labour resources mobilised to release those goods for free circulation, including checking the data provided, carrying out risk analysis, and performing regular documentary and physical controls when needed. The fee will be introduced no later than 1 Novembe r 2026.

In the future, e-commerce operators will bear more responsibility. O nline platforms and sellers will inform customs through the EU Customs Data Hub about their sales immediately after they happen. This will allow customs to react even before the goods arrive at the border. T hese operators will also be liable to ensure compliance with EU legislation applicable to their products, including fiscal and non-fiscal rules. Specific penalties may apply in case of systematic non-compliance. This is a major improvement from the current customs system, which assigns this responsibility to individual consumers.

Next Steps

This Regulation will enter into force twenty days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Today's agreement is a significant step towards a new, resilient and ada ptable EU Customs Union. T he reform now launches a mix of immediate and long-term measures.

Measures tackling the urgent e-commerce challenges have been expedited to start earlier than originally foreseen, given the need for an urgent solution.

The EU Customs Authority will be established in close cooperation with the Member States, with some activities commencing in 2027 and with the launch of the EU Customs Data Hub, the central data platform, for e-commerce in 2028. The Data Hub will open for all other businesses in 203 1, leading to immediate benefits, simplifications, and savings for companies. In 2034, the Data Hub will expand to all traders and become the single mandatory EU Customs entry point.

Background

The EU Customs Union, founded in 1968, was a milestone for EU integration, providing the foundations for the Single Market, and ensuring the free circulation of goods within the EU.

In today's landscape, customs authorities control billions of consignments annually, with e-commerce fuelling an unprecedented surge in low-value imports. The EU Customs Union needed a major reform to address modern challenges, such as new trade models and growing trade volumes, technological developments, the green transition, the new geopolitical context and security risks.

On 17 May 2023, the Commission put forward proposals for a comprehensive reform, aiming to tackle these challenges by developing a more cohesive, data-driven, and risk-based customs system. This system is also designed to effectively protect its financial and regulatory interests.

For more information

Questions and answers

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Quote(s)

Today’s agreement marks a pivotal moment, opening a new chapter for our Customs Union. Breathing fresh life into a historic policy, this reform is a transformative step towards a more unified and modern customs system in the EU, where the EU customs union acts as one. By creating a central data management platform and enabling greater coordination among Member States, we are equipping customs with the tools and governance needed to safeguard our Single Market, boost Europe’s competitiveness and strengthen our economic security. As we kick-start this change, businesses and consumers can benefit from streamlined procedures and efficient protection against unsafe products and uneven level-playing field. Customs will more than ever be the frontline of our prosperity and our security at the single border of our single market.

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Olof GILL

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