The European Union recently decided to eliminate the €150 duty-free allowance, with the aim of taxing all orders coming from outside the EU. We are talking about products coming from the USA and China, for example.
The truth is that the date this measure will come into effect is not yet completely set, although several organizations point to 2028 as a possible target. According to official entities, the reasons are competition and safety. We are talking about cases like Shein, AliExpress, and Temu, which sell products at very low prices that do not always meet the safety standards required by the European Union.
But some countries are already taking the first steps in this direction. Italy, for example, according to a report by the European Parliament, “has asked the Commission to verify whether the proposed €2 processing fee complies with the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and whether it is sufficient and proportionate. MEPs insist that this fee should be paid by the platform and not by the consumer.” This decision would take effect this year.
What has changed at Customs?
The decision taken by the European Union follows the policies of other countries, such as the USA. Until August 29th of last year, goods up to US$800 were exempt from customs duties. This regime refers to the European Union (EU) rule that exempts small amounts of public financial support to a company from having to be notified to the European Commission, as their value is considered so low that it does not affect competition.
Since August 29, 2025, the United States of America (USA) has suspended this regime, and goods up to $800 – considered low-value shipments and therefore eligible for a simplified entry process – have ceased to be exempt, at least temporarily.
According to Deco Proteste, the suspension of the service covers all types of goods, including shipments destined for the USA, and is not the result of a decision by CTT or Portuguese operators. It represents a profound change in the rules for the entry of goods into the USA, with a direct impact on customs and logistics systems.
Basically, this means that all shipments, except for gifts valued at less than US$100 (approximately €86), are subject to customs duties, taxes and fees (a minimum of 10% or 15% per shipment), and require customs documentation.
According to the same source, the measure was taken based on data presented by the US border protection agency, which attributed responsibility for the entry of more narcotics, counterfeit goods, and potentially harmful products into the US to small packages.
What we can expect when the service resumes is a significant increase in shipping costs to the US, since there will be mandatory fees, even for low-value items. For now, products purchased from American websites are exempt from these fees, but this situation is expected to change in the near future.
Currently, CTT explains that, “if you purchased goods worth up to €150 from a website outside the EU and paid VAT along with the price of the goods, the import is exempt from CTT customs clearance service costs. Upon entry into Portugal, you will not have to pay any amount and no intervention will be required from the customer.”
“In the case of having purchased goods from a website outside the EU and not having paid VAT at the time of purchase, you will be notified when the item is shipped from the country of origin,” and the amount to be paid depends on the value of the goods.