New customs handling fee for parcels ordered from outside the EU as part of broader EU customs reform

From the beginning of November, a new handling fee of €2 will apply to all online purchases arriving from outside the EU. The fee must be paid separately for each goods item, regardless of the value of the purchase. The fee is part of a broader EU customs reform.

Customs duty was introduced in July for online purchases valued at no more than €150 and arriving from outside the EU. Previously, customs duty was payable only on online purchases worth more than €150.

The fees are based on new EU regulations concerning goods imported into or exported from the EU customs territory. The changes apply to shipments arriving in Finland from countries including the United Kingdom, China and Switzerland, as well as other countries outside the EU.

Both the new handling fee charged by Finnish Customs and any customs duty are paid in connection with customs clearance. For purchases worth no more than €150, all fees may be charged by the online store at the time of purchase. In this case, the recipient does not need to complete the customs clearance or make any further payments when the shipment arrives in Finland. These are known as Import One-Stop Shop, or IOSS, purchases. Posti completes the customs clearance as the sender’s representative and forwards the payment information to Finnish Customs.

The handling fee charged by Finnish Customs is different from Posti’s handling fee. Posti’s handling fee must be paid if Posti transports the parcel and import taxes are payable in connection with customs clearance.

Product identifiers will also be required

From the beginning of November, additional information will also be required for online purchases. Under EU regulations, online stores must include product identifiers, PID data, for products sent to consumers from outside the EU.

From 1 November 2026, three different product identifiers must be provided in connection with customs clearance. The requirement applies to online purchases worth no more than €150 arriving from outside the EU. The product identifiers can be found, for example, in the order confirmation or on the online store’s website. If the product identifier information is unavailable, the customer should request it from the online store that sent the goods.

The recipient does not need the product identifiers if the parcel was ordered from a seller registered for IOSS and the seller or its representative, such as Posti, completes the customs clearance.

Additional requirements may result in returns

If customs duties and handling fees have not been paid for a shipment arriving from outside the EU, or if the shipment information is insufficient, it may not be possible to complete the customs clearance. In this case, the shipment will have to be returned to the sender.

These changes are part of a broader EU customs reform. Among other things, the EU is responding to the increasing volume of low-value imports ordered from outside the EU and their impact on the environment and consumers. All EU Member States must comply with the regulations.

Posti’s customs clearance pages: Customs clearance | Posti Instructions from Finnish Customs: New customs duty and handling fee for parcels ordered from outside the EU - Finnish Customs Press release issued by Finnish Customs on 23 October 2026: EU:n ulkopuolelta saapuville verkkokauppaostoksille tulee uusi käsittelymaksu - Tulli (Finnish)  

Changes taking effect in November

• The new handling fee introduced on 1 November applies to online purchases ordered from outside the EU, regardless of the value of the purchase.
• The fee is charged separately for each goods item. Products that are identical, classified under the same commodity code and originate from the same country are considered one goods item. A single parcel or shipment may contain several goods items.
• From 1 November, online stores must include product identifiers, PID data, for products sent to consumers from outside the EU. These identifiers must be provided during customs clearance for online purchases worth no more than €150 arriving from outside the EU.
• If customs duties and handling fees have not been paid for a shipment arriving from outside the EU, or if the shipment information is insufficient, it may not be possible to complete the customs clearance. In this case, the shipment will have to be returned to the sender.

For further information, please contact: Posti MediaDesk, tel. +358 (0)20 452 3366 (Mon–Fri 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.)

Posti is one of the leading delivery and fulfillment companies in Finland, Sweden, and the Baltics. We make our customers’ everyday lives smoother with a wide range of services, which include parcels, freight, and postal services as well as warehouse, fulfillment, and logistics services. According to our sustainability program, our goal is to transport fossil-free by 2030 and be at zero by 2040. Our net sales in 2025 amounted to EUR 1,447.6 million and we have approximately 13,700 employees. Posti Group’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki official list. www.posti.com