New EU Customs Duties For Swiss Parcels

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) The European Union is introducing a handling fee on parcel consignments from third countries on November 1. The new €2 (CHF1.85) fee will be levied in addition to the recently introduced €3 fee on small consignments. Swiss online shops are affected by the new charge. Select your language

Generated with artificial intelligence. Listening: New EU customs duties for Swiss parcels This content was published on October 31, 2026 - 10:52 4 minutes Keystone-SDA

Deutsch de Schweizer Pakete unterstehen ab dem 1. November einem neuen EU-Zoll Original Read more: Schweizer Pakete unterstehen ab dem 1. November einem neuen EU

Online retail, primarily via Chinese platforms such as Shein and Temu, is booming. According to figures from the European Commission, just under 5.9 billion small consignments were sent to the EU in 2025. That equates to just over 16 million items per day. This volume is putting pressure on customs authorities.

From November 1, the EU will charge a processing fee of €2 on imports. According to the EU's decision, the platforms – and not the consumers – are responsible for paying the fee and completing the other customs formalities. Violations could result in fines of up to 6% of a company's annual import value.

The processing fee is charged per product category rather than per item. For example, a consignment of 20 T-shirts incurs a fee of €2. For a consignment of ten T-shirts, two caps and an umbrella, the fee is €6. This calculation is based on how goods are declared at customs.

The measure is part of a wider EU customs reform due to come into force next month.

Minimal impact expected for Switzerland

The fee will be levied on all parcels imported into the EU. It applies“irrespective of the free trade agreement between Switzerland and the EU”, Swiss Post said on its website.

Patrick Erny, director of the Swiss Retail Federation, estimates the impact on the sector as a whole will be“minimal”. He attributes this to the fact that the Swiss retail sector is strongly focused on the domestic market.

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