The upcoming EU customs reform scheduled for July 1 raises some questions about how smooth the transition will be in practice.
On paper, the framework is relatively clear: the EU defines the rules, while national customs authorities are responsible for enforcement. In practice, however, the distribution of responsibilities appears less clearly defined. The EU sets the objective of introducing duties on low-value e-commerce shipments, customs authorities communicate the requirements, and a significant part of the implementation is left to operators such as couriers and customs brokers.
At the same time, elements of the system are still being finalized. Customs authorities indicate that the final legislation is pending, technical specifications may only be approved in May, and message formats are still evolving, while the planned implementation date remains unchanged.
Another practical aspect concerns the collection of the €3 duty per item. Operators are expected to collect this charge from recipients, and the associated administrative and transaction costs are likely to be reflected in service pricing. This may lead to the introduction of paid declaration services, including for shipments that were previously processed automatically.
Overall, these factors suggest a possibility of delays and operational pressure during the initial phase of implementation. It would be useful to hear how others, particularly those working in logistics or e-commerce, assess the situation.
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