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Latest EU customs duty and U.S. CPSC eFiling changes: What AfterShip customers need to know

Overview


Two regulatory changes affecting cross-border shipments are taking effect in July 2026:


  • A new €3 per-item customs duty on low-value parcels entering the European Union, effective July 1, 2026.
  • Mandatory eFiling of safety compliance data for U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)-regulated imports into the United States, effective July 8, 2026.


This article explains what's changing, who it affects, and what AfterShip is doing to support customers through both transitions. This is an early heads-up: carriers and authorities are still finalizing the operational details on both fronts, and we'll update this article as those details are confirmed.


1. EU customs duty changes: Effective July 1, 2026


Background


The EU is reforming its customs framework for low-value cross-border e-commerce. Today, parcels shipped into the EU with a declared value under €150 are exempt from customs duties. That exemption is being removed.


The European Commission's stated goal is to level the playing field between EU and non-EU sellers, reduce undervaluation in cross-border e-commerce, and modernize the EU's customs handling for the volume of parcels now entering the bloc.


You can read the official announcement here.


What's changing


Beginning July 1, 2026, a flat €3 customs duty will be assessed on each item shipped from a non-EU country to an EU consumer when the parcel's declared value is below €150.


  • The duty is applied on a per-item basis, not per shipment. A parcel containing multiple items will be assessed accordingly.
  • The duty applies regardless of the carrier or shipping service used.
  • Carriers, including FedEx and DHL, have published their own customer notices and are coordinating with EU authorities on how product-level data will be captured and transmitted at the time of label generation.


Who this affects


This change is relevant if you are shipping into the European Union from outside the EU, whether through outbound parcels to EU customers or return shipments originating outside the EU.

It does not affect:


  • Shipments that originate and remain within the EU
  • Shipments with a declared value of €150 or above, which already fall under existing duty rules


2. U.S. CPSC eFiling requirements: Effective July 8, 2026


Background


The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is moving to mandatory electronic filing of safety compliance data for regulated consumer products. Going forward, this information will need to be filed electronically as part of the entry process into the U.S. via the Partner Government Agency (PGA) message set in U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Automated Commercial Environment (ACE).


What's changing


Effective July 8, 2026, importers of CPSC-regulated consumer products will be required to electronically file the data needed to complete the CPSC PGA message set at the time of entry into the U.S. Each finished product certificate must describe a single product.


  • Importers must provide all data elements necessary for the customs broker to complete the CPSC PGA message set. Reported requirements include the product ID, citation codes, manufacture date, manufacture location, product test date, testing laboratory, and a point of contact for records.
  • Importers may pre-file product information in the CPSC Product Registry, allowing brokers to transmit an abbreviated CPSC message set at entry. Recent reports indicate that Product Registry enrollment can take time, so getting started early may help avoid clearance delays.
  • Products held in Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs) have an extended compliance deadline of January 8, 2027.


Who this affects


This change is relevant if you are importing CPSC-regulated consumer products into the United States, including children's products (covered by Children's Product Certificates) and general consumer goods (covered by General Certificates of Conformity).


Timeline at a glance


  • Now: Carriers, customs brokers, and government agencies are finalizing operational and data requirements for both changes.
  • Between now and July 2026: AfterShip will publish further guidance as carrier-side details are confirmed.
  • July 1, 2026: The new €3 per-item EU customs duty takes effect.
  • July 8, 2026: U.S. CPSC eFiling becomes mandatory for in-scope imports.
  • January 8, 2027: U.S. CPSC eFiling compliance deadline for products held in Foreign Trade Zones.


Where to get product-specific guidance


If you have questions about shipping products under these new rules, including what data your shipments will require, how to prepare your product information, and how the rules apply to your specific product categories or routes, please contact your carrier point of contact or customs broker directly.


As the parties responsible for preparing and filing customs declarations and executing product entry on behalf of merchants, carriers and brokers are the authoritative sources on compliance for your specific shipments. Government agencies (the European Commission, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) set the rules; carriers and brokers operationalize them.


What AfterShip is doing


AfterShip's role is to integrate with your carriers and pass through the data they require at label generation. We're actively engaged with our carrier partners to understand exactly how these changes will be applied at the operational level, including what additional product data will need to flow through our integrations. As soon as those requirements are confirmed, we will:


  • Update our carrier integrations to meet the new data requirements
  • Publish detailed guidance for API and admin/Returns customers covering any changes needed on your side
  • Communicate timelines for any product updates well ahead of each effective date


We'll update this article and notify customers directly as the picture becomes clearer.

Updated on: 21/05/2026