Do you send parcels to Europe for your customers? From 1 November 2026, two new EU rules change how those parcels clear customs.
First, many parcels now need Product IDs for every item inside. Second, there is a new €2 handling fee for each item sold to a shopper in the EU.
This blog explains both rules in simple words. It also shows you how to get Product IDs for free, so your customers' parcels keep moving.
What are EU Product IDs?
A Product ID is a code that tells customs exactly what an item is. The full name is Product Identifier.
There are three kinds:
- The seller's code: the code a seller uses for the item in their stock, like a SKU.
- The maker's code: the model, part or style number the manufacturer gives the item.
- The barcode number: the number under the barcode. This is only needed if the item has one.
Which parcels need Product IDs?
A parcel needs Product IDs when:
- it is going to a country in the EU,
- the items in it were sold to a shopper, and
- it is worth €150 or less.
Parcels going to the UK don't need them, because the UK is not in the EU. Parcels going to a business that gives its EU VAT number don't need them either.
What happens if a parcel has no Product IDs?
Customs can hold the parcel, delay it or send it back. That means unhappy customers and extra costs for you.
How to get Product IDs for free
You don't need to buy barcodes or pay for extra software. If an item has no barcode, that's fine. The barcode number is only needed when the item already has one.
On Terminal Africa, you only need to give the item's details when you book:
- Describe the item and pick the right HS code.
- Fill in the manufacturer's information. This is the name, address and contact details of the business that made the item.
- Check the details before you book.
We use these details to complete the Product ID information that DHL, UPS and FedEx ask for.
See how it works: How to add manufacturer's information to your shipment.
Where to find an item's manufacturer information
Ask your customer for it when they bring their parcel to you. They can usually find it:
- on the item's label, tag or box,
- on the product page where they bought it, or
- on their supplier's invoice.
What is the EU Union Handling Fee?
The Union Handling Fee is a new EU charge on items bought online and shipped into the EU from outside it. It helps pay for the extra work customs now does because of the many online parcels coming in.
How much is the EU handling fee?
The fee is €2 for each item, not for each parcel. So a parcel with three different items costs €6.
There is no value limit. The fee applies to cheap and expensive items alike.
It also comes on top of customs duty. Since 1 July 2026, items in parcels worth €150 or less also pay €3 customs duty per item.
The fee can't be refunded, even if the item is faulty or sent back. (Source: Ireland's Revenue)
Who pays the €2 EU handling fee?
The guidance says the fee is aimed at the businesses that bring parcels into the EU. It doesn't yet explain exactly how the fee will be collected.
To avoid surprises, tell your customers about the fee now, and add it to your prices for items sold to shoppers in Europe.
Does the EU handling fee apply to gifts?
No. Gifts sent from one person to another person are not covered by the fee.
Keep sending parcels to Europe with Terminal Africa
The rules are new, but shipping to Europe with Terminal Africa stays simple. Collect the manufacturer's information from your customers, add it when you book, and send as usual.
