Auteur: Smart Trade Compliance
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“EU’s €3 Parcel Duty Is Working: Chinese Import Volumes Drop 30-40%”
The EU’s new € 3 customs duty on low-value parcels appears to be doing exactly what it was designed to do. Since the flat duty took effect on 1 July 2026, imports of small parcels from China have dropped by 30 to 40 percent overall – and in the Netherlands specifically, volumes have nearly halved,…
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The US-Canada tariff war is escalating fast, and while the conflict is bilateral, the supply chain exposure is not. EU manufacturers with North American operations or cross-border sourcing are already feeling indirect effects – even where the EU itself is not a party to the dispute.
A TIMELINE OF ESCALATION WHY THIS MATTERS WITHOUT A NORTH AMERICAN PRESENCE Many EU manufacturers operate production or supply chains that cross the US-Canada border repeatedly, a legacy of deeply integrated USMCA supply chains in sectors such as automotive and machinery. EU parent companies with Canadian or US subsidiaries absorb tariff costs directly or indirectly,…
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Export classification is jurisdiction specific
Importing a product with an export classification does not mean you can use that same classification when exporting it again. Export classification is jurisdiction-specific – and that catches out EU exporters more often than the sector likes to admit. THE ASSUMPTION THAT CATCHES EXPORTERS OUT When goods are re-exported, the original supplier’s export classification is…
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Trade Compliance as Business Intelligence
Every import and export transaction generates trade compliance data: classification decisions, sanctions screening results, tariff impact, supplier and country exposure, regulatory changes affecting specific product lines. Most of it stays inside the compliance function. The question worth asking is whether it ever reaches the people making strategic decisions. WHAT COMPLIANCE TEAMS ALREADY SEE Trade compliance…
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Proving non-preferential US origin Regulation 2026-1455
Since 1 July 2026, a broad range of CN codes for goods of United States origin qualify for a reduced or zero rate of import duty under Regulation (EU) 2026/1455. Several forwarders are now asking their importer clients for a written confirmation of non-preferential US origin before they will claim the benefit. That request is not a…
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PAS 41201:2026
On 4 June 2026, HMRC published PAS 41201:2026, a new UK standard for customs intermediaries developed with the British Standards Institution (BSI). Several Dutch and EU clients have asked us the same question: does PAS 41201:2026 apply in the Netherlands? The short answer is no – but the standard is still worth understanding if your business…
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From today, 1 July 2026, the EU duty exemption for consignments up to €150 is abolished. For companies importing goods into the EU under deferred payment arrangements, this creates a direct obligation: a customs guarantee.
What changed on 1 July 2026? Until this date, the Union Customs Code (UCC, Regulation (EU) 952/2013) exempted consignments with an intrinsic value of €150 or less from import duties. That exemption is now gone. Every parcel entering the EU from a third country is subject to customs duties – regardless of value. For businesses…
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EU E-Commerce Handling Fee: What the 2026 Customs Changes Mean for Your Business
The Compliance Brief | Smart Trade Compliance | 16 June 2026 The EU e-commerce handling fee is coming, but not from the Netherlands. On 12 June 2026, State Secretary for Finance Eelco Eerenberg confirmed to the Dutch parliament that the Netherlands will not introduce a national handling fee on e-commerce parcels. Instead, the Dutch government…
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Customs Enforcement Executive Order
On 3 June 2026, President Trump signed an Executive Order titled ‘Strengthening Customs Enforcement’ — one of the most far-reaching US customs reform measures in decades. For European companies importing into the United States, the consequences are direct and significant. The order explicitly creates a two-tier system: one set of rules for US importers, and a…
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How to prepare for an AEO re-assessment without disrupting operations
An AEO re-assessment does not have to be a stressful event. Companies that approach it proactively – with the right documentation, internal controls, and people in place – consistently find that customs authorities see a mature, well-run organisation. The key is preparation, not perfection. Here is how to get ready without disrupting your day-to-day operations.…