As of July 1st, 2026, the EU will apply a temporary €3 customs duty per item on low-value sales (up to €150) imported from outside the EU. What is not always made clear is that this is in addition to the VAT, IOSS taxes, and import fees you are already paying when you place an order on my site. Currently, we can collect and pay the VAT/IOSS taxes for you through a third-party service, but we cannot collect this new €3 flat fee on your behalf.
Because of this, it is left to our shipping company to collect any pay it for you. However FedEx will charge a €12 Disbursement fee for paying your local tax authorities on your behalf to ensure your shipment arrives as quickly as possible.
Yes, this is currently the best way we can comply with the new rulings. The main reason is that each country in the EU is responsible for collecting this fee independently. It is simply impractical to register in every jurisdiction. Chances are that when we do find a better way to manage this expense, we will have to collect a similar fee or raise our prices to cover the new service.
Please keep in mind that these fees will also apply to any reprints or replacements we need to send in case of shipping damage or printing/packaging mistakes. We do our best to avoid this, but accidents do happen. In those cases, we will cover the cost to reprint and ship, but these fees will be unavoidable. Please take this into consideration before making a purchase. The chances are low, but definitely not zero.
This measure is expected to remain in effect until July 2028. I am well aware that it may ultimately make it impossible for me to continue offering my products in the EU, since more than 40% of the final sale price will go to various tax authorities and shipping companies.
That said, here is what we have done, and what you may be able to do, to help limit the impact of this new fee.
- We have limited our product offerings so that each shipment declaration can be drafted as a single line item. Because each product uses the same import code, we are able to group these items on the same line and limit the fees regardless of how many items you purchase.
- According to the definition, orders over €150 are exempt from this ruling. If you group together with a few friends and place a larger order, you may be able to avoid this fee. However, I believe orders in that range may be subject to other import fees, so sharing those expenses could help reduce the impact for each person.
I understand that this is not convenient or ideal, but it appears to be the new reality for the foreseeable future. I am a very small business — just myself and an independent industrial printing company that I contract to print and ship my products to you. We do what we can, but these changes and fees are completely outside of our control.