Italy’s €2 fee is postponed, and may be cancelled
Italy planned a €2 fee on low-value consignments from outside the EU. Decreto-legge 193/2026 moved the start from 1 December 2026 to 1 January 2027. A 2027 budget bill proposes cancelling it before it starts. Until that bill is law, the fee is possible, not certain.
Last reviewed 2026-11-09 · built from the sourced knowledge base · Not legal, tax or customs advice.
Quick answer: Does Italy charge an extra €2?
Italy's €2 per consignment (up to €150) is postponed to 1 Jan 2027 by DL 193/2026 (Gazzetta Ufficiale 23 Oct 2026). Status possible: the 2027 Budget Bill proposes repealing it. What this means for you: not charged in December 2026. From January it is a possible extra that is not added to the main total. On a €25 order the EU fees already apply; the Italian €2 would be additional only if enacted. Not refunded if you return the item. Check whether checkout already includes fees and keep your receipt.
Sources: gazzettaufficiale.it, normattiva.it
What this means for you
A parcel that arrives in Italy in December 2026 does not pay this Italian €2. The EU charges still apply: from 1 July 2026 the €3 duty per item type (up to €150), and from 1 November 2026 the €2 Union handling fee per item type. Those are not the Italian fee.
From 1 January 2027 the Italian €2 is possible: one fee per consignment of €150 or less, not per item. Parcelsline shows it as a possible line and does not add it to the total, because the 2027 Budget Bill (A.C. 3174, Art. 30) proposes repealing it. A proposal is not a repeal.
Worked example, a €25 order of one item type. In December 2026: €3 duty + €2 Union handling fee, then Italian VAT, and no Italian €2. In January 2027 the same bill, plus a possible extra €2 that may never be charged. If it is charged, it is not refunded on a return. Check whether checkout already added a fee, and keep the receipt.
DL 193 must be converted into law by 22 December 2026 (60 days from Gazzetta Ufficiale publication on 23 October 2026, the publication day excluded). The budget vote is usually late December.
Sources
Normattiva, Decreto-legge 23 ottobre 2026, n. 193: normattiva.it. Gazzetta Ufficiale, 23 October 2026: gazzettaufficiale.it. Camera dei deputati, A.C. 3174 (Art. 30 proposes repeal): documenti.camera.it.
Italy (IT)
- €2 per consignment up to €150 from outside the EU. Postponed to 1 Jan 2027 by Decreto-legge 23 ottobre 2026, n. 193 (Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 247, 23 Oct 2026; in force 24 Oct). Status possible: Article 30 of the 2027 Budget Bill (A.C. 3174) proposes repealing it before it applies. Conversion deadline for DL 193 is 22 Dec 2026. What this means for you: not charged on December 2026 arrivals. From January 2027 it is a possible extra €2 (not in the main estimate total). On a €25 order the EU €3 + €2 already apply; the Italian €2 would be additional only if the bill becomes law. It is not refunded on return. Check your checkout total and keep receipts. Sources: gazzettaufficiale.it, normattiva.it, documenti.camera.it
EU-wide
- VAT is due on every import (IOSS at checkout up to €150, or at the border). Standard rates: DE 19%, FR 20%, NL 21%, IT 22%, IE 23%, ES 21%, BE 21%, RO 21%. Sources: taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu, europa.eu
- €3 duty per distinct tariff subheading in consignments up to €150 (5 T-shirts = €3; T-shirt + watch = €6), for IOSS or postal consignments. Above €150, normal duty rates. Sources: taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu, eur-lex.europa.eu
- Since 1 Nov 2026 a €2 Union handling fee applies per distinct customs item (two identical pens count as one item) at any parcel value, on top of the €3 duty. The seller or delivery company pays and may pass it on at checkout or on delivery. It is never refunded, even if the goods are faulty. Example: a €10 parcel with three different items is €9 duty + €6 fee = €15, plus VAT. Sources: eur-lex.europa.eu, revenue.ie, eurlexa.eu
- Product identifiers (merchant ID, manufacturer ID, and a standard barcode ID where one exists) have been mandatory on EU low-value distance-sales import declarations since 1 Nov 2026, with no delay. A missing identifier is a likely reason for a hold. This does not change the estimate. Sources: douane.nl, sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es