From 1 July 2026, new EU customs rules can lead to additional costs when physical products worth up to €150 are shipped from outside the EU to customers in the EU. If this applies to your Jimdo store, you should check how these costs affect your orders and decide how you want to account for them.
What has changed?
From 1 July 2026, the previous customs duty exemption for parcels worth up to €150 was removed. A temporary customs duty of €3 was introduced for low value consignments of goods worth up to €150 that are shipped to consumers in the EU.
This temporary measure is currently expected to apply until 1 July 2028.
Important: The exact rules and applicable charges can depend on the goods, their classification and the destination country. Always check the latest official EU customs information before making changes to your store.
Who is affected?
The change is particularly relevant if your business is based outside the EU and you sell physical products to customers in the EU.
For example, if your business is based in Switzerland, the United Kingdom or the United States, the new rules may apply when you ship an order to an EU country.
If you only sell digital products or services that don't require physical shipping, these customs duties don't apply to those products.
How is the €3 customs duty calculated?
The €3 customs duty is based on the tariff classification of the items in a shipment. It isn't necessarily charged only once per parcel.
For example, if a shipment contains several identical T shirts with the same tariff classification, they may count as one category. If the same shipment contains a T shirt and a watch with different tariff classifications, they may be treated as two categories.
This means the customs duty for an individual shipment can be higher than €3.
Who pays the customs duty?
Who is responsible for paying the customs duty depends on how the shipment and customs declaration are handled.
In many cases, the declarant, seller or importer is responsible for the charge. In other situations, the customer may be asked to pay import charges when the parcel arrives.
As a seller, you should decide how you want to account for these additional costs and clearly communicate this to your customers.
Can costs vary between EU countries?
Yes. Although the customs duty is based on EU rules, the final cost associated with importing an order can vary depending on the destination.
Individual EU countries may apply additional handling or administration fees. VAT rates also differ between countries.
For this reason, check the requirements for the countries you ship to instead of assuming that every EU destination will result in exactly the same costs.
How can I handle the additional cost?
There are several ways you can approach import costs in your online store:
- Include the expected cost in the amount your customer pays when placing an order
- Ship the order without collecting the customs charge yourself and let the customer pay applicable charges when the parcel is delivered
- Absorb the additional cost as part of your business expenses
Does Jimdo collect customs duties for me?
No. Jimdo doesn't calculate, collect or remit customs duties on your behalf.
As the store owner, you're responsible for deciding how you handle potential import costs and for configuring your shipping prices accordingly.
How can I account for import costs in my shipping prices?
Your Jimdo store's shipping costs are set per region: Domestic, European Union, Europe or The world. You currently can't set a different shipping amount for individual EU countries to account for country specific import costs.
One option is to adjust the shipping cost for the European Union region.
You can add an estimated amount to your existing shipping cost to help cover the expected customs duty. Since the amount applies to the entire region, it may not match the exact costs for every EU country.
To adjust your shipping costs:
- Log in to your Jimdo account and choose the desired website.
- Click Store on the very left.
- Go to Shipping in the new window.
- Click the slider next to the European Union region to edit it.
- Add the amount you want to charge to cover the expected import costs to your existing shipping price.
- Save your changes.
Note: If you activate the European Union region separately from Europe or The world, it takes priority for buyers based in EU member states because the smaller region applies. This allows you to adjust shipping costs for EU orders without affecting destinations outside the EU, such as the United Kingdom or Switzerland.
Note: Because your shipping price applies to the entire region rather than individual countries, customers in countries with lower or no additional national fees may pay slightly more than necessary, while the amount may not fully cover costs in other countries. Make sure you clearly communicate what your shipping costs cover.
Can I request payment separately after checkout?
If you don't want to include the expected import cost in your shipping prices, you may be able to request the customs amount from the customer separately after they place their order.
One option available with Jimdo is to use Payment Links, which allow you to request a separate payment from your customer. You can find out how to create and use Payment Links in our Help Center article.
The payment options available to you and how you can use them for an individual order may depend on your setup.
What about VAT?
Customs duties and VAT are separate charges. Depending on the destination and the circumstances of the sale, VAT may also apply.
Make sure that any additional costs you charge are communicated transparently to your customers and comply with the requirements that apply in the countries where you sell your products.
Where can I find more information?
Customs regulations can change and individual circumstances may be treated differently. For the latest and authoritative information, refer to the European Commission's Taxation and Customs Union guidance and official announcements from the Council of the European Union.
Important: This article provides general information and doesn't constitute legal or tax advice. If you're unsure about your obligations, consult official EU guidance or seek professional tax or legal advice.