Australia Post have advised: Sender pays options are now available to the EU from 3rd August.
The full list of countries has not yet been provided, so contact us via Live Chat with any error message you may receive.
EU Customs Changes from 1 July 2026
Overview
From 1 July 2026, the European Union (EU) will remove the current EUR150 de minimis threshold for imported goods. As a result, low-value shipments entering EU member countries may be subject to additional customs charges.
What's Changing?
A flat-rate EUR3 customs duty will apply to eligible low-value items entering the EU.
The EUR3 duty is charged per item, not per parcel. (see the AusPost documentation for an example here.)
VAT (Value Added Tax) will continue to apply and is charged separately from the customs duty.
"Gift" can no longer be used as an export reason for business shipments sent to any destination (worldwide).
These changes are intended to standardise the collection of duties and taxes across all EU member states.
Duties, Taxes and Fees (Landed Costs)
When creating a shipment using Australia Post eParcel or MyPost Business, you may need to specify who will pay any applicable duties, taxes and fees (also known as landed costs).
Available options include:
Receiver Pays – all applicable charges are collected from the recipient on delivery.
Sender Pays (Zonos® Verified Account) – only VAT charges are calculated and paid upfront by the sender via their linked Zonos account. Any additional duties are not prepaid and are the responsibility of the receiver on arrival (including the EUR3 customs duty)
Sender Pays (Tax ID) – only VAT charges are prepaid and are managed through the sender's own tax registration arrangements. Any additional duties are not prepaid and are the responsibility of the receiver on arrival (including the EUR3 customs duty)
For some destinations, the payment method may be mandated and automatically selected.
Additional Customs Information Required
To comply with the new regulations, shipment declarations may require:
More detailed product information, including:
Item classification (HS code)
Country of origin
Individual product weights
A valid export reason (business shipments can no longer use "GIFT")
Accurate item-level declarations, as duties may be calculated per individual item.
Recommended Actions
To comply with these changes, we recommend that you:
Review how duties, taxes and fees are managed for your international shipments.
Decide whether the sender or receiver will be responsible for landed costs.
Determine whether you require a Tax ID or a Zonos® Verified Account for your shipments.
For more information, visit these links:
For more information on how the flat-rate EUR3 customs duty per item is calculated, vist the AusPost dedicated page here.
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