Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546654
12 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 23 SEPTEMBER 2026 NEWS JULIANA ZAMMIT jzammit@mediatoday.com.mt BACK ON TVM FROM OCTOBER MA' SAVIOUR BALZAN FROM THURSDAY 1 OCTOBER 2026 AT 10.15PM ON TVM Beat the November rush: €2 handling fee on non-EU parcel imports arrives soon THINKING of ordering for Christmas? Don't wait until No- vember, or you'll face an addi- tional handling fee set to be im- posed on every low-value item imported from outside the EU. The EU-imposed fee, known as the 'union handling fee', is expected to be €2, MaltaPost confirmed to MaltaToday. The charge is separate from the EU-wide €3 temporary duty introduced on 1 July and is designed to cover the costs customs authorities incur in processing small parcels. "On top of the €3 introduced in July, you also have to pay VAT. Now from November of this year, the EU will introduce another €2 charge," a Malta- Post representative told Malt- aToday. It is unclear as yet whether the additional €2 handling fee will apply per item or product type. The new Union Customs Code, published on 19 Sep- tember, establishes the legal basis for both charges. The €3 duty is temporary and applies until July 2028, when standard customs duties resume. The €2 handling fee is designed to become permanent infrastruc- ture as the EU Customs Data Hub becomes fully operational. The reform is set to mod- ernise the EU customs sys- tem, making it more digital, data-driven and responsive to international trade challenges. It will help customs address geopolitical risks, e-commerce growth and rising demand for consumer protection. Central to the reform are a modernised Union Customs Code (UCC) and the EU Customs Authority (EUCA). The new EU Customs Au- thority, based in Lille and es- tablished on 20 September, will oversee the system's imple- mentation. The authority is also devel- oping the EU Customs Data Hub, a centralised IT system to replace fragmented national customs databases, expected to be operational for e-commerce from 1 July 2028. The Data Hub will gradually replace existing national cus- toms IT systems, generating savings of close to €2.3 billion per year in operating costs for member states and €2.58 bil- lion per year in administrative costs for economic operators. With the new union handling fee expected to take effect from 1 November, consum- ers planning to buy Christmas gifts or other goods from out- side the EU may want to con- sider bringing forward their purchases. Ordering early could help shoppers avoid the new charge on parcels en- tering the EU before the fee comes into effect, although delivery times and the date on which goods actually enter the EU should also be taken into account. A new EU-imposed fee, known as the 'union handling fee', is expected to be €2 and will come into effect in November