CLECAT PUBLISHES COMMENTS ON NATIONAL E-COMMERCE HANDLING FEES
CLECAT has published its comments on the rise of national e-commerce handling fees, following recent announcements by several Member States to introduce charges on parcels arriving from outside the EU. With the Dutch scheme due to start on 1 January 2026, and similar initiatives already in place in Romania, France and Belgium, CLECAT warns of an emerging patchwork of national measures that risks fragmenting the Customs Union and complicating cross-border operations.
The paper recognises the severe strain placed on customs administrations by the exponential growth in low-value consignments, and acknowledges that Member States are acting under pressure while Commission initiatives such as the EU Customs Reform is still under negotiation. However, CLECAT underlines that any national fee must comply with Article 52 UCC, remain transparent, and be strictly temporary. Revenues should be reinvested in strengthening customs capacity, and implementation should be coordinated with trade to avoid unnecessary IT and administrative burdens.
CLECAT reiterates its call for a harmonised, EU-wide approach and a centralised solution. National handling fees should serve only as short-term stop-gap measures, not as a new layer of permanent divergence within the Customs Union.