Managed Markets / Improvement · International

Shopify automatically handles the EU's "€3 import duty"
Starting July 1, 2026, the low-value shipment exemption ends

The EU is scrapping its import exemption for shipments under €150 and, starting July 1, applying a flat €3 per tariff line. If you use Shopify Managed Markets / Import duties and tax calculation, this €3 is calculated, displayed, and collected automatically. No settings changes required.

On this page
  1. What's changing (30-second overview)
  2. How the €3 is counted: added per tariff line
  3. Who's affected
  4. How the two products differ in handling this
  5. Fee breakdown (€3 is separate from VAT)
  6. What merchants need to do (essentially nothing)
  7. 5 key points for developers
  8. 3 use cases you can apply to your work
  9. A one-line summary you can use in a pitch

1What's changing

Until now, the EU exempted imports under €150 from duty .
Starting July 1, 2026, that exemption is being scrapped,and a flat €3 duty is applied per tariff line (covering eligible orders of €150 or less).
If you use Shopify Managed Markets / Import duties and tax calculation, this €3 is calculated, displayed, and collected automatically . No settings changes required.
~6/30

Before: exempt under €150

Parcels under €150 arriving from outside the EU were not subject to import duty (an exemption applied).

7/1~

From now on: a flat €3 per classification

The exemption is scrapped. Eligible orders of €150 or less are charged €3 per tariff line. Shopify collects it automatically.

2How the €3 is counted: added per tariff line

Customs counts the number of unique tariff classification lines in a single parcel and charges €3 for each line. If the same classification appears multiple times, that classification counts as one line at €3.

Parcel A Apparel only 1 category €3 Parcel B Apparel / Cosmetics Shoes / Jewelry 4 categories €3 × 4 €12 €3 stacks up for each category
Parcel contentsUnique tariff line€3 charge
Apparel only1€3
Apparel + Cosmetics + Shoes + Jewelry4€12
What gets counted the number of category types, not the number of items. Even if you include 10 of the same apparel item, it's €3 as long as they fall under 1 category. Note that for cross-border gift sets combining many product types, the €3 stacks up as the number of categories grows.

3Who is affected

Affected

Shipping from outside the EU → into the EU

Stores shipping from outside the EU to EU customers. Applies to eligible orders of €150 or less.

Affected

Includes shipments from the UK

Shipments from the UK into the EU are also treated as "shipped from outside the EU" and are subject to this.

Not affected

Shipping within the EU

Shipments from within the EU to within the EU (intra-EU) are not affected.

Whether your store falls under "shipped from outside the EU → arriving in the EU" is determined by the actual origin of shipment and the customer's location. See the Shopify Help Center for details.

4Differences in how the two products handle it

Whichever product you use, the €3 is reflected at checkout. However, "who remits it" differs.

ItemShopify Managed MarketsImport duty & tax calculation
Handling of the €3 Calculated, displayed, and collected at checkout Calculated and displayed with the €3 included in the duty amount
Collection from the customer Automatic Completed at checkout Collected from the customer together with other duties
Remittance (remit) Global-e remits to the destination country as the merchant of record Not stated Collected, but no explicit remitting party stated
Amount guarantee Guaranteed Won't increase later beyond the displayed amount (no extra cost for merchants or customers) Not specified
Because Managed Markets "guarantees" the amount shown at checkout, you avoid the risk of customers being charged extra on delivery (i.e. shipping disputes and returns).

5Fee breakdown (the €3 is separate from VAT)

In line with EU regulations, this €3 ischarged "on top of" VAT and each country's handling fees. It does not replace existing taxes or fees.

Product price + VAT + Per-country handling + €3 duty

6What merchants need to do (essentially nothing)

1

Check whether you use an eligible product

You're eligible if you use either Managed Markets or Duties and Import Taxes calculation.

2

No configuration changes needed

From July 1, the €3 is automatically reflected at checkout. No manual work required.

3

Visually verify the display and charges

For peace of mind, verify once via a real order or order preview that the €3 is correctly applied to cross-border orders.

Shopify handles the calculation, display, and collection on your behalf, so no implementation or configuration work is generally required on the merchant side.

75 points developers should keep in mind

€3

1. Billing is per "number of classification types"

It's not by item count or amount, but the number of unique tariff lines × €3. Bundles and gift sets with many items accumulate more €3. The accuracy of HS code assignment directly affects the amount.

2. The €3 is additive; existing taxes are unchanged

VAT and per-country handling fees stay the same. The €3 is a separate line item added on top of them. Make sure your display and records can break out the itemization.

3. MM guarantees the amount = no post-delivery charges

Managed Markets guarantees the amount shown at checkout, with Global-e remitting as merchant of record. This reduces support inquiries and returns caused by extra charges on delivery.

UK→EU

4. UK-origin shipments are covered as "originating outside the EU"

Stores shipping from a UK location to the EU are also subject to the charge. Intra-EU (EU → EU) is exempt. Your ship-from location design is the deciding factor.

API ?

5. No mention of API / Webhook specifications

This announcement only covers the product's automatic handling; it does not specify how the €3 is represented or retrieved via the Admin API or Webhooks. If you want to aggregate the €3 from order data and integrate it into accounting, verify in a sandbox which tax/fee fields it lands in using a real order.

83 use cases you can apply to your business

USE CASE 1

Eliminate cross-border "delivery-time trouble" with checkout guarantees

Problem
On shipments to EU customers, unexpected duties are charged on delivery, causing refused deliveries, returns, and support inquiries. From July 1, the €3 is added, further undermining a purchase experience premised on being duty-free.
Solution
Adopt Managed Markets to finalize and guarantee duties, including the €3, at checkout. Customers know the total at the time of purchase, with no follow-up charges.
Impact
Reduced refused deliveries, return-shipping costs, and inquiry workload. Maintained cross-border CVR and customer satisfaction.
Technical notes
The price guarantee assumes Global-e pays as the merchant of record. It secures a DDP-equivalent experience with zero implementation.
HS HS HS
USE CASE 2

Prevent the "extra €3" by keeping HS codes clean in your product catalog

Challenge
The €3 is charged per tariff line (classification). If classifications are split too finely or assigned incorrectly, a single parcel's duty can swell beyond expectations.
Action
Audit and accurately assign HS codes / tariff classifications for your cross-border SKUs. For bundles and gift sets, revisit how they're composed with an eye on the number of distinct classifications.
Impact
Curbs overcharging, makes pricing displays more accurate, and improves your ability to explain charges to customers.
Technical notes
Since the number of classifications translates directly into €3 × N, tracking "classification redundancy" as a KPI helps when designing multi-item bundled products.
Product VAT Fee €3 duty
USE CASE 3

Account for the €3 correctly in accounting and cost calculations

Challenge
The €3 is a new line item, separate from VAT and handling fees. Unless your aggregation systems break out the details, you'll misjudge the effective cost and tax treatment of cross-border orders.
Action
Verify which tax/fee field the €3 lands in within your order data, and add mappings so this new line item can be aggregated independently in your BI / accounting integrations.
Impact
Accurate insight into effective cross-border profit, and simpler tax and audit handling.
Technical notes
This announcement does not document the field spec in the API/Webhook. Confirm it against real orders before finalizing your mappings.

9One-line summary you can use in a proposal

"From 2026/7/1, the EU's duty exemption for shipments under €150 will be abolished, and€3 per tariff classification line will be charged.
With Shopify Managed Markets / import duty and tax calculation, this is handled automatically with zero configuration changes.,
Managed Markets guarantees the amount shown at checkout and prevents additional charges on delivery."