If you are a customer in Germany, Denmark or Luxembourg please refer to paragraph 3.

 

1. New export rules

From 1 July 2026, new EU customs rules came into effect for parcels entering the EU from outside the EU, including orders sent from the UK.

Under the new rules, the EU has introduced a temporary €3 customs duty on low-value parcels up to €150. This replaces the previous duty exemption that applied to many low-value orders.

This is separate from any local VAT, customs handling fees or courier admin charges that may also be applied by your country when your parcel arrives.

2. For most EU customers

If you are in the EU but not in Germany, Denmark or Luxembourg, your order will be sent as normal.

This means any customs charges, local VAT, import fees or courier handling fees will be paid by you when your parcel enters your country, as requested by your local customs authority or delivery service.

These charges are not set by us and are not included at checkout unless clearly shown.

3. Customers in Germany, Denmark and Luxembourg

Royal Mail currently requires orders going to Germany, Denmark and Luxembourg to have customs charges paid upfront before the parcel is sent.

Because of this, customers in these countries may see an additional import/customs charge added at checkout or included in the shipping cost.

This charge is an estimate based on the expected import VAT, the EU customs duty and courier handling fees.

Once the final charges have been accurately calculated by our courier service, we will check them against what you paid at checkout.

If you have paid more than the final amount charged to us, we will refund the difference back to your original payment method. You can request receipt of this.

Why are the charges different by country?

Each EU country has its own VAT rate and courier handling process, so the final amount can vary depending on where the parcel is going.

The new EU customs duty is generally €3 per customs item/classification for low-value parcels up to €150, but this does not replace local VAT or handling fees.

This means your total import cost may include:

• local VAT in your country
• the new EU customs duty
• courier or postal handling fees
• any country-specific admin charges

Orders over €150

Orders over €150 may be treated differently by customs and may not fall under the same low-value parcel rules.

Need help?

This is confusing, and we are doing our best to make it as clear and fair as possible.

If you are in the EU and are unsure what applies to your order, please get in touch before ordering and we’ll happily help.

You can email us at hello@cyclewearcentral.com.