From July 1 st , ordering summer clothes on Chinese giant Shein, White Fox hoodies from Australia and cosmetics from a UK pharmacy chain like Boots is likely to get more expensive, thanks to new European Union customs rules. Not only that, but these rules could have an even bigger impact, as retailer Marks & Spencer warns that it could limit the product range it offers Irish consumers.
The change means a €3 phone cover, for example, ordered from an online Chinese retailer, may suddenly cost double the price, due to the imposition of a new €3 customs charge (per item) on imports from outside the EU. Not only that, but an additional handling charge, of an expected €2, is due to be introduced by the EU in November. If your retailer doesn’t pay the duty for you at checkout, you will have to pay a further administration fee before you get delivery of the item – An Post , for example, will charge €6.95 for this.
So, what exactly are the new rules and why are they being introduced? And most of all, perhaps, how is the new customs duty going to affect your online shopping habits?
What’s the rule change?
The ecommerce rules are being driven by the EU – not Ireland – but we will have to comply with them. Originally due for 2028, the rules were fast-tracked last December. They will apply on a temporary basis from July 1st, ahead of becoming permanent in 2028.
Up until now, goods from outside the EU – provided they were valued at less than €150 – did not require import duty to be paid by consumers when they were sent to Ireland. This was provided for under the so-called “de minimis” regime. According to the European Commission, it helped avoid any “disproportionate” administrative burdens.
Now, on the back of new EU-wide legislation, there will be new customs-duty charges on online shopping from non-EU countries – regardless of the value of your order.
Why? In part, it’s being driven by the surge in imports of low-value goods from Chinese retailers such as Shein and Temu. These goods may not meet EU safety standards, while they also, according to the European Commission, pose risks to consumers and undermine fair competition.
In 2025, for example, figures from the Commission show almost six billion low-value items were directly shipped from countries outside the EU to consumers in the region. Customs duties were not paid on these items. In May, Temu was fined €200 million by the Commission for selling illegal and unsafe products, including toys considered dangerous for babies.
“This has created an unfair competition that traditional retailers cannot compete with,” the Commission says.
In order to “level the playing field”, the Commission is bringing in a new €3 customs duty on all items shipped from outside the EU.
“This change is designed to ensure fairness for Irish and EU businesses,” Revenue says.
Last year, the US did something similar, scrapping an exemption whereby tax didn’t apply on goods from China that were valued at $800 (€697) or less. The UK, meanwhile, has plans to remove its £135 (€156) “de minimis” customs threshold in 2029.
What’s the charge?
The big change is that a new €3 charge, per item, will apply to goods coming from outside the EU. So, for example, the charge would be applied to items from the UK and China.
It is important to note that the charge typically applies per item – so if you order a candle, a tablecloth and a Christmas decoration, you will have to pay an additional €9.
If, however, you order two or more identical items, this will be considered to be just one item – and so the €3 charge will only apply once.
Only physical goods will be subject to the duty. This means Kindle books, for example, won’t face the charge, according to Revenue .
The new rules won’t impact online trade from Northern Ireland to the Republic, according to Revenue. It says “there is no impact on all-island trade” and customs duty is not payable on such trade.
What retailers will be impacted?
Shein, Temu, AliExpress – the low-cost Chinese retailers – will likely be significantly affected by the new charges. After all, ordering a €3 phone charger may now become twice as expensive, if it has been shipped from outside the EU.
But they aren’t the only retailers with cause for concern. UK retailers will also be hit, if they’re shipping goods to Ireland from across the Irish Sea.
A spokesman for pharmacy chain Boots, for example, says that it operates “a blended fulfilment model”. This means online orders are fulfilled through a combination of its Irish store network as well as distribution centres in the UK. So if your Korean skincare comes from a UK distribution centre, it will incur a €3 charge.
Similarly, Amazon says Irish customers may see a €3 charge on certain orders from amazon.co.uk, as well as amazon.ie, from July 1st, depending on where the item has been shipped from. It recommends customers use the Irish site “to mitigate the impact of these charges”.
And remember, as Revenue warns, just because a website ad…
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