Cross-border e-commerce into France just became more expensive. From 1 March 2026 every parcel valued under €150 and dispatched from outside the European Union is subject to a flat €2 tax, payable by the sender and typically passed on to the buyer at checkout. The measure, buried in Article 34 of the 2026 Budget Law, aims to curb a flood of fast-fashion and gadget shipments—many declared at artificially low values—that clog customs and undermine domestic retailers. For global mobility professionals the immediate concern is personal imports by expatriate staff: corporate relocation teams often ship SIM cards, replacement laptops or small items not easily sourced in France. Logistics providers report that express couriers such as DHL and UPS have already updated billing systems to include the surcharge automatically. Failure to pre-pay can delay clearance at La Poste’s customs hub, adding 24-48 hours to delivery.
![€2 levy on extra-EU parcels starts, signalling wider EU customs reform]()
While cross-border compliance is grabbing headlines, mobility managers shouldn’t overlook travel documentation: VisaHQ’s France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) allows assignees and business travelers to verify visa requirements, complete applications online and track approvals in real time, streamlining administrative workloads as teams grapple with the new customs formalities.
The levy is temporary, expiring on 31 December 2026, when Brussels is expected to roll out an EU-wide lightweight shipment duty. France says the stop-gap will raise €180 million, earmarked for digital customs upgrades that will dovetail with the EU’s Import Control System 2 (ICS2) and eventual VAT e-commerce package. Business-travel departments should brief employees who order spare parts or tech accessories during trips: goods ordered on Friday for a Monday meeting may now miss the deadline without premium shipment. Companies operating “cashless” expatriate allowances should also revisit per-diem scales, as staff may face higher out-of-pocket costs when ordering essentials abroad. Retail platforms have started to adapt. Chinese-owned Shein and Temu, primary targets of the reform, posted notices warning French customers of small price increases. US-based Amazon says Marketplace sellers must display the fee prominently to comply with consumer-protection rules. Failure could incur fines of up to €15,000 per listing under France’s DGCCRF enforcement.
While cross-border compliance is grabbing headlines, mobility managers shouldn’t overlook travel documentation: VisaHQ’s France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) allows assignees and business travelers to verify visa requirements, complete applications online and track approvals in real time, streamlining administrative workloads as teams grapple with the new customs formalities.
The levy is temporary, expiring on 31 December 2026, when Brussels is expected to roll out an EU-wide lightweight shipment duty. France says the stop-gap will raise €180 million, earmarked for digital customs upgrades that will dovetail with the EU’s Import Control System 2 (ICS2) and eventual VAT e-commerce package. Business-travel departments should brief employees who order spare parts or tech accessories during trips: goods ordered on Friday for a Monday meeting may now miss the deadline without premium shipment. Companies operating “cashless” expatriate allowances should also revisit per-diem scales, as staff may face higher out-of-pocket costs when ordering essentials abroad. Retail platforms have started to adapt. Chinese-owned Shein and Temu, primary targets of the reform, posted notices warning French customers of small price increases. US-based Amazon says Marketplace sellers must display the fee prominently to comply with consumer-protection rules. Failure could incur fines of up to €15,000 per listing under France’s DGCCRF enforcement.
