EU Capitals Preempting the €2 Parcel Fee: National Handling Levies Already Being Enforced — What That Means for Forwarders
Introduction
While the European Union is still negotiating a uniform €2 handling fee on low-value parcels imported from outside the bloc, several EU member states have begun moving unilaterally to impose their own national parcel handling levies. This acceleration is driven by domestic fiscal pressures, concerns about customs overload, and pressure from local retailers. Countries such as Romania, Poland, and the Netherlands are among those taking early steps. 金融时报+2vatcalc.com+2
For forwarders, logistics providers, consolidators, and sellers who ship from China into Europe (or route via Europe en route to North America), these national levies present new cost exposures, route distortions, and compliance complexities. They could lead to fragmented fee regimes, re-routing tactics, and “border shopping” behavior, all of which can undermine margin models and operational stability.
In this article, we will cover:
- The rationale, status, and variety of national parcel levies
- How forwarders and consolidators are impacted
- Strategic adjustments to anticipate and adapt
- A 90-day tactical plan
- Risks, pitfalls & what to watch
- Conclusion & recommendations
1. National Handling Levies: Rationale, Status & Variants
1.1 Why Member States Are Acting Early
The EU’s unified proposal — a €2 fee per parcel sent directly to consumers (and €0.50 for parcels distributed from EU warehouses) — is still under negotiation and is not scheduled to take full effect until 2028. 金融时报+3欧洲议会+3cep-research.com+3
In the meantime, many national governments see reason to act preemptively due to:
- Fiscal revenue pressure: National customs agencies and border authorities argue that they bear the cost of processing billions of low-value parcels, and these levies could help cover administrative, logistical, safety inspection, and customs enforcement costs. 金融时报+2欧洲议会+2
- Preventing distortions: Some governments fear that delay at the EU level will allow parcel flows to route through member states that do not impose a national fee, creating “arbitrage corridors.” Making a national fee helps discourage volume diversion. 金融时报+1
- Retailer pressure: Domestic retailers complain that low-cost goods entering via parcel routes enjoy unfair competition (avoiding standard regulatory and inspection costs). 金融时报
- Customs burden: The volume of parcels is surging (4.6 billion in 2024) and many are arriving from platforms like Shein and Temu; customs systems are under strain. Reuters+2欧洲议会+2
1.2 Examples of National or Proposed Levies
Some current or proposed measures in EU member states:
- Romania: Romania has tabled a 25 RON (~€5) fixed handling/customs fee for non-EU parcels under €150. The proposal is expected to take effect around 1 November 2025. vatcalc.com
- Poland: The Polish government is reportedly “exploring national solutions,” though not yet enacted. vatcalc.com+1
- Netherlands: The Dutch Economy Ministry has expressed support for a national handling levy, to avoid being bypassed by cross-border parcel flows. 金融时报
- France: Reports suggest France is preparing its own national fee, potentially as early as 2026, though formal legal texts are pending. vatcalc.com
These national moves act as testbeds for local handling, and may complicate the harmonization once the EU-wide fee is adopted.
2. Impact on Forwarders & Consolidators
These national levies are not just academic; they can materially affect bottom lines, routing strategies, and operational risk.
2.1 Cost Increment per Parcel
Each parcel imported from outside the EU (under a certain value threshold) may now incur:
- The national handling fee (e.g. Romania’s ~€5 for under-€150 parcel)
- Existing duties, VAT, customs processing fees
- Additional compliance / inspection costs
- Potential cross-charge from parcel carriers / last-mile forwarders
This incremental cost, even if small per parcel, scales quickly across high volumes.
2.2 Route Distortions & Border Shopping
- Forwarders may route parcels through countries without a national fee (if any remain) to minimize cost, leading to arbitrage routing or parcel re-export strategies.
- Such behavior may stress transit systems or overwhelm smaller jurisdictions that are reluctant to impose fees.
- Over time, this could fragment the internal parcel distribution network in Europe.
2.3 Complexity & Compliance Overhead
Forwarders will need to:
- Know which national regime applies to each parcel (based on country of entry)
- Handle varying fee structures, documentation requirements, and local customs rules
- Possibly segment customers by destination country rather than treating EU as a monolith
- Invest in IT systems to route, label, declare, and accrue the correct fees
2.4 Shifts in Fulfillment & Consolidation Strategy
- More incentives to use EU warehouses / hubs as origin points for domestic delivery: if parcels are shipped from within the EU, the national handling fee may not apply (or may be reduced) in some regimes.
- Greater consolidation upstream: batch import larger shipments and then distribute locally, reducing the number of parcels crossing national borders with individual handling charges.
- Rebalance pricing: include contingencies or surcharges for parcels destined to countries with national fees.
2.5 Competitive Disadvantage for Small / Niche Forwarders
Larger logistics players that can absorb or optimize these fees may crowd out smaller forwarders who lack margin flexibility. Consolidators must scale, optimize, or differentiate service to survive.
3. Strategic Adjustments & Best Practices for Forwarders
Given this shifting landscape, forwarders and consolidators should act boldly and smartly. Below are recommended strategies.
3.1 Geographic Fee Map & Route Planning
- Build a fee/levy map: for each EU country, track known or proposed national handling fees, their trigger thresholds, and exemptions.
- Route parcels to entry countries with lower or no fees (while considering transit time and last-mile cost).
- When cross-country movement within the EU is relatively inexpensive, internal routing post-entry may minimize national fee costs.
3.2 Pricing Models & Surcharges
- Introduce country-based handling surcharges in your pricing matrix for parcel delivery.
- For B2B or high-volume customers, negotiate fee-inclusive or margin-sharing models rather than absorbing all cost.
- Offer alternative price tiers (e.g. “Economy land routing via fee-favorable country vs standard direct”).
3.3 Promote EU Warehouse / Intra-EU Shipping
- Expand or partner with EU fulfillment centers / hubs. If parcels originate within the EU (or transit inside the EU), they may evade national handling fees.
- Encourage customers / sellers to route goods into EU warehouses before delivery to reduce parcel crossing national borders with external fees.
3.4 Adapt IT & Workflow
- Upgrade systems to handle country-aware parcel routing, labeling, and accounting for diverse fee regimes.
- Embed logic in checkout/labeling to select the cheapest allowed route and declare necessary customs/fee data.
- Automate fee billing and reconciliation with customs / national authorities.
3.5 Pilot & Scenario Analysis
- Before fully shifting your operations, run pilot parcel flows through countries with national fees and compare landed cost, transit time, and customer satisfaction.
- Model adverse scenarios: fee hikes, route congestion, border delays.
3.6 Engage With Policy & Lobbying
- Join industry associations to voice concerns around harmonization, revenue allocation, and fairness of national levies.
- Push for clear EU rules that avoid fragmentation and reduce arbitrage gaps.
- Monitor legislative developments; be ready to adjust operations mid-legislative cycle.
4. 90-Day Tactical Roadmap for Forwarders
| Timeframe | Key Actions |
|---|---|
| Days 0–30 | • Research and compile list of national parcel handling fee proposals and statuses (Romania, Netherlands, Poland, etc.). • Map your current parcel flows by destination country. • Adjust pricing templates to include potential fee surcharge. • Speak with your customs/clearing partners in each EU country to understand collection mechanisms. |
| Days 31–60 | • Pilot parcel routes through countries with lower or no levies where possible. • Negotiate with parcel carriers / last-mile providers about fee absorption or sharing. • Adjust parcel consolidation strategies: route more parcels via EU hubs. • Monitor customs enforcement actions and fee collection in pilot countries. |
| Days 61–90 | • Review pilot results: landed cost, transit, customer impact. • Finalize fee map, route rules, pricing tiers. • Deploy IT updates (routing, labeling, accounting) to support national fee logic. • Engage with stakeholders (platforms, sellers) to adjust terms / awareness. • Watch for additional country levies and be ready to respond. |
5. Risks, Pitfalls & What to Monitor
- Leapfrogging / undercutting: Some countries may be slower to impose fees, inviting transshipment and routing via those “cheaper” entry points. This could erode revenue or create congestion.
- Unpredictable fee changes: National governments may change fee levels, triggers, or exemptions with little notice.
- Customer backlash: Sudden surcharge or increased delivery cost may lead to complaints, cart abandonment, or negative reputation unless communicated transparently.
- Complex compliance: Mislabeling, incorrect country of entry, or misuse of exemption claims could result in penalties or seizure.
- Regulatory conflict: National levies may clash with EU rules or court challenges, adding legal risk.
- Capacity stress: If too many flows divert through a few routes, those routes may become congested, delaying parcels and eroding the benefit of route shifts.
6. Conclusion & Recommendations
The early moves by EU capitals to impose national parcel handling levies are signals that the era of frictionless, low-cost cross-border parcel forwarding from China is entering a new, more complex phase. Forwarders and consolidators must:
- Stay ahead with country-level knowledge of fee regimes
- Adapt pricing, routing logic, and IT systems to account for fee diversity
- Encourage use of EU warehouses / intra-EU fulfillment to reduce parcel crossing external borders
- Pilot and validate routing strategies before large shifts
- Engage with policy developments and advocate for harmonized, transparent rules
By reacting proactively and intelligently, forwarders can mitigate the impact of fragmentation, maintain margins, and even use early adaptation as a competitive advantage.
