EU Customs Update (July 2026): Kakobuy Caps Duty at €3 a Parcel

The EU is changing how it taxes imported parcels from 1 July 2026. Here's exactly what changes, what it would normally cost you, and how Kakobuy is absorbing most of it.

What changes on 1 July 2026

The EU is removing the long-standing €150 duty-free threshold. From this date, parcels entering the EU can be charged customs duty by product category:

Each different product category carries a fixed customs duty of €3.
Multiple items in the same category are generally charged only once.
A parcel with several different categories adds up — one €3 charge per category.

Standard policy example: T-shirts only → 1 category → €3. T-shirts + shoes → 2 → €6. T-shirts + shoes + bags + accessories → 4 → €12.

Kakobuy's subsidy: a flat €3 per parcel

To soften the change, Kakobuy charges just €3 per parcel — no matter how many categories are inside — and covers the rest:

1 parcel, 1 category → you pay €3
1 parcel, 2 categories → still €3
1 parcel, 5+ categories → still just €3

The €3 is included directly in your shipping cost when you submit the parcel, so there's no separate customs payment to handle. Kakobuy notes this is a subsidy and says it will give advance notice if it can't keep it up.

Duty-free lines to every EU country

Kakobuy also confirmed its EU duty-free shipping lines continue for all EU destinations, now updated to cover the new duties. On these lines:

All applicable taxes and duties are included.
Any extra customs duties are covered by Kakobuy.
No separate customs declaration or duty payment is needed — you just submit your parcel as usual.

US shoppers

For the US, Kakobuy offers tax-free routes that avoid surprise tariffs and self-clearance, at roughly $5–10 more per parcel than conventional lines like USPS. See our US tax-free routes note.

What to do

Choose a duty-free / tax-free route to your country at parcel submission when available — compare options in the shipping price tool.
Provide any required tax / EORI number so the parcel clears smoothly.
See the customs clearance and customs risk sections for the full rules.

FAQ

The EU removes the €150 duty-free threshold and can charge customs duty by product category — a fixed €3 per category, so a parcel with two categories would be €6, three would be €9, and so on.

A flat €3 per parcel regardless of how many product categories are inside, included in your shipping cost. Kakobuy covers any additional category-based duties, and its duty-free EU lines include all taxes and duties.

On Kakobuy's duty-free EU lines, no — taxes and duties are included and there's no separate declaration or payment. Just submit your parcel. Provide a tax/EORI number if your country requires one.