De minimis used to let low-value parcels enter the EU without duties. With that threshold gone, low-value shipments face the same duty treatment as everything else, which means the HS code and declared value on every order now directly affect what the customer pays.
What de minimis did
- Shipments under the threshold entered without import duty, so sellers could ignore classification on small orders.
- Many Shopify brands built their EU shipping on that assumption, with no HS codes stored at SKU level.
- Customs still required accurate data in theory, but in practice low-value parcels moved with minimal friction.
What is different now
- Duty applies to low-value consignments, so the duty rate for each product's HS code matters on every order.
- Carriers and customs brokers need complete, accurate data: HS code, country of origin, and value per item.
- Parcels with missing or sloppy data get delayed, returned, or hit with surprise charges the customer did not agree to.
What this means at checkout
- Showing a duty-inclusive total at checkout is no longer optional polish. It is how you avoid angry delivery-day surprises.
- If your catalog lacks HS codes, your landed-cost math is guesswork, and guesswork now costs money on every EU order.
- Customers who get an unexpected customs bill do not reorder. The duty problem is a retention problem.
What to do this quarter
- Audit your catalog for missing HS codes and country-of-origin data, starting with your top EU sellers.
- Fix the data at SKU level once, rather than firefighting per shipment.
- Display delivered-duty-paid totals at checkout so the price the shopper sees is the price they pay.
- Watch EU customs announcements, because implementation details are still settling.