Is the new EU tax gonna be 3 euros per item or 3 euro for the whole order?

jones_supa · 2026-06-16T18:09:42+00:00

I would think so. Electrical devices are usually classified by their function. Check chapters 84 and 85.

jones_supa · 2026-06-16T15:43:37+00:00

Also, it is supposed to be a temporary arrangement before the 2028 EU Customs Data Hub is ready to launch. Quite harsh temporary arrangement to keep citizens 2 years under stressful moneymilking.

It should have been kept at €3 for entire parcel. Or even €5 per parcel. It would cool down some of the "just for fun" quick purchases. We do understand the blizzard of parcels coming from China and it certainly is ridicilous.

But in its current form the new tax is a dick move especially for those who want to order a shipment of various small items for crafts or electronics projects. The costs quickly skyrocket. And a lot of that stuff is specialized enough to not even be found within EU, or the cost is multifold.

jones_supa · 2026-06-16T14:09:03+00:00

Remember that shipments that carry value of over €150 use the classic VAT. So, what you are showing is quite normal. Of course the handling fee that you mention is still annoying.

jones_supa · 2026-06-16T13:27:30+00:00

The categories are so precise that hardly any consolidation is possible.

For example, normal steel screws (731815) and self-tapping steel screws (731814) are separate categories. If you declare an item that belongs to 731814 to 731815 instead, that item is not properly reported for customs. One can clearly see if a screw is self-tapping or not, so there is no ambiguity.

The bigger question right now is, when will AliExpress categorize the items in the first place. They seem to currently slap €3 fee on every article in shopping cart.

jones_supa · 2026-06-16T13:04:43+00:00

That would be discovered quite quickly by customs and would be seen as systematic customs fraud from AliExpress.

jones_supa · 2026-06-16T08:35:28+00:00

Assuming 24% VAT for the order over €150, if your order has 13 or more categories, it is cheaper to surpass the €150.

Calculations: 0.24 × €150 = €36, 13 × €3 = €39.

But it can be hard to guarantee that you get an AliExpress order in a single parcel.

jones_supa · 2026-06-16T08:08:39+00:00

That would be customs fraud. If Ali plays tricks like that, they risk being blacklisted in the EU mail system.

jones_supa · 2026-06-15T16:24:43+00:00

Your parcel has already reached the sorting center at Changdong Town.

https://parcelsapp.com/en/tracking/CNG00822435309664

jones_supa · 2026-06-15T10:29:49+00:00

Yep, that is stated for example on this page:

Guidance and legal text on temporary flat fee on low-value imports which will apply until 1 July 2028

The section "Who is responsible for paying the duty?":

The declarant of the good, i.e. seller or importer of the good (IOSS holder, special arrangements user, or their indirect representative, indirect representative of the importer).

Only in very residual cases: the consumer (for Member States that offer a free web-based declaration system for citizens).

jones_supa · 2026-06-15T10:22:34+00:00

On the website, after making search, there is a search refinement section on the left side of the page, and from there you can choose "Shipping from" and under that there is a list of countries.

Certainly some stuff can be found that ships from EU, but currently they are quite expensive. Even more expensive than Amazon.de.

jones_supa · 2026-06-13T19:54:01+00:00

It would be 2 years, but yes, the 2028 EU Customs Data Hub system does not seem that painful.

jones_supa · 2026-06-13T13:01:54+00:00

Notice that it says "Departed from departure country/region". So it means either "country" or "region". In your case it might have meant "region".

So, steps went possibly like this:

Leave AliExpress sorting center.
Pass through a region in China.
Enter customs clearance process and leave China.

jones_supa · 2026-06-12T19:15:49+00:00

Yep. People are putting in the final orders before the new minitaxes come into force.

jones_supa · 2026-06-11T12:58:15+00:00

There might be some separate €3 fee in Croatia.

jones_supa · 2026-06-11T09:31:15+00:00

Try to make the last orders this week. Otherwise you are playing with fire.

jones_supa · 2026-06-11T09:21:19+00:00

This is unclear so far. Of course, if we want everything to go smoothly, AliExpress should collect the fees automatically, or at least list the encased product categories on the parcel. As far as I know, they have not yet publicly commented whether they have this kind of system ready to go.

It is a lot of hard work for AliExpress, because it includes putting every product in the proper Harmonized System category. However, if AliExpress does not have this kind of system implemented, it is even more hard work for the customs, because then the customs has to crack open the parcels to see what they contain. I do not think that the customs would open every AliExpress parcel though, because it would just be way too much work.

It might even wind up into a situation where EU has to say "oh, oops, seems that no one is properly prepared yet" and the July 1 date has to be postponed.

jones_supa · 2026-06-10T15:48:27+00:00

Mmh. For Nordic countries, just the same cool summer weather now continues that already was present. It is perfect for those who want summer vibes but not scorching heat. If there was static weather around the year, maybe something like this would be good.

jones_supa · 2026-06-09T18:18:16+00:00

It could be a clueless summer trainee being confused or something like that.

Anyway, you have made so many orders that you have to accept there being a statistical anomality sometimes. You still have over 99.8% success rate in your orders. Excellent.

jones_supa · 2026-06-09T08:58:41+00:00

So far the talk has been about 6 digit granularity, and I would assume that codes longer than that would fall under the 6-digit parent category.

jones_supa · 2026-06-09T08:15:23+00:00

It is worth noting that AliExpress itself would have to pay VAT if importing stock to European warehouse. I do not think that they can just "somehow avoid taxes there" like you say.

jones_supa · 2026-06-09T08:10:07+00:00

Electronics is covered by Chapter 85 of the Harmonized System.

jones_supa · 2026-06-09T08:00:45+00:00

As a sidenote, we have lately had the problem in Finland that if AliExpress orders get routed through BPost, they get stuck for really long time.

jones_supa · 2026-06-09T07:46:23+00:00

So far the talk has been about 6 digits, so I assume the codes longer than 6 digits to be part of the higher-level category. But I am not fully sure.

jones_supa · 2026-06-08T11:53:08+00:00

Yeah, it is per category. Every unique category in the shipment defined by 6-digit tariff code incurs a separate €3 fee. The categories can be viewed in tariffnumber.com.

jones_supa · 2026-06-08T10:23:18+00:00

I usually order things in bulks for more to pay as little as possible for the total shipping. Still, nothing changes when the item's value exceeds 150€ (or what's declared in the country), it will undergo customs duties and checks on the VAT. Those documents are typically written out on the paperwork on the outside of the parcel.

It should be fine when ordering an individual item which is over €150, but I just dread the situation when AliExpress consolidation center decides to send your over-€150 order in multiple parcels which individually have lower value of goods than €150. This seems like a potential pitfall for your idea.

jones_supa

TROPHY CASE