Irish consumers buying goods online from outside the European Union are set to face an additional handling fee of about €2 from November, adding to a €3 customs charge introduced earlier this year.
The new fee is part of changes under the EU Customs Code and is intended to cover the cost of processing customs declarations for goods entering the bloc from outside the EU.
The additional charge could push the cost of low value purchases from popular platforms such as Temu and Shein up by at least €5 beyond the original price of the goods.
An Post said delivery companies are awaiting further clarification on how the new handling fee will be calculated and collected. The fee is expected to be introduced from the beginning of November and could be charged either per item or per shipment.
The €3 customs charge, introduced in July, applies to each distinct product purchased from outside the EU. For example, five identical T-shirts attract one €3 charge, while a T-shirt and a pair of jeans would attract separate €3 charges.
Previously, goods valued below €150 entering the EU were exempt from customs duty under the bloc’s so-called de minimis rule. However, the rapid growth of low-cost online shopping has prompted EU authorities to overhaul the system.
Official estimates indicate that around six billion packages worth less than €150 entered the EU from outside the bloc last year, equivalent to about 16 million parcels a day.
Delivery companies will be responsible for collecting the new charges where they have not already been paid at checkout.
The fees will apply based on where the goods are shipped from, rather than where the retailer is headquartered. This means an order placed through an Irish or European website could still attract the charges if the goods are dispatched from a country such as China.
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