Ordering from ANAHIV? We pay all duties and taxes for you.
Every ANAHIV order ships free worldwide by DHL Express with all customs duties, import VAT and taxes included. That covers the new EU €3 duty and €2 handling fee. There is nothing extra to pay at your door.
Yes, usually. As of November 2026, the EU charges a flat €3 customs duty per item type on non-EU parcels worth up to €150, plus a €2 handling fee per item. Import VAT applies to all imported clothing too. Who actually pays, you or the seller, depends on how the order is set up.
What are the EU customs duty rules for clothes from outside the EU?
For years, parcels worth less than €150 entered the EU free of customs duty. That ended on 30 June 2026. According to the European Commission, a temporary €3 customs duty on low-value parcels from outside the EU has applied since 1 July 2026. This mainly affects goods bought online.
The Council of the EU explains that the duty is charged on each different category of item, identified by its tariff sub-heading. A parcel with several items in the same category is charged once. The Commission's own example is that five T-shirts attract a single €3 duty because they share one tariff classification. A parcel with a dress, a top and a pair of trousers could therefore be charged more than once.
The €3 rate is an interim measure. The Council says tariffs will apply to all goods entering the EU once the EU customs data hub is operational, which is currently expected in 2028.
The new €2 handling fee (from 1 November 2026)
A second charge started this month. Ireland's Revenue describes a new Union Handling Fee of €2 per distinct item, in force from 1 November 2026. It applies to online goods shipped from outside the EU to a consumer, whatever the value. It sits on top of the €3 duty, so a low-value item can carry €5 in fixed charges before VAT.
Legally, the fee is owed by the party that files the customs declaration, usually the seller, platform or carrier. Whether it is passed on to you in the price, at checkout or on delivery depends on the seller and the carrier.
What happens to orders over €150?
The flat €3 duty only covers consignments up to €150. German customs (Zoll) states that where the goods in a consignment exceed €150, import duties are collected based on the tariff. The rate depends on the product's tariff code and where it was made, so it can differ between garment types and fabrics. The €2 handling fee still applies on top.
Because the percentage rate varies, we won't quote one here. Your national customs authority can tell you the exact rate for a specific garment.
Who pays import VAT on clothing, and what is IOSS?
All goods imported into the EU are generally subject to VAT, with no minimum value. The EU removed its old VAT exemption for goods under €22 in July 2021. The VAT rate is set by the destination country. Germany's customs site notes that the VAT calculation includes transport and postage costs.
The Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) is the scheme that decides when you pay it:
- IOSS is an optional scheme, in use since 1 July 2021, for goods shipped from outside the EU in consignments worth €150 or less.
- The seller charges your country's VAT at checkout and reports it in one monthly return. You should then not be asked for import VAT at the door.
- IOSS cannot be used above €150. In that case, standard import VAT and customs rules apply, and the buyer is typically asked to pay on delivery unless the seller has arranged to pay.
- IOSS covers VAT only. Compliance specialists such as Lovat note that neither the €3 duty nor the €2 fee is a VAT liability handled through IOSS.
How to avoid a surprise bill at your door
- Read the checkout page. Look for wording such as "duties included" or "duties may be charged on delivery".
- Check for an IOSS number. A valid number on the invoice or customs label means VAT should already be paid.
- Ask before you buy. If the checkout is unclear, contact the seller's support team and ask how duties, VAT and the new fee are handled.
- Keep the invoice. If a carrier charges you, the invoice helps you check the amounts.
- Verify with the authorities. The European Commission's EU Customs Reform page and your national customs authority are the sources to rely on.
This is general guidance as of November 2026, not legal or tax advice. Customs rules in the EU have changed several times this year and may change again.
Related questions
What is IOSS and how does it affect clothing orders?
IOSS is an EU scheme that lets a non-EU seller collect VAT at checkout on orders of €150 or less. For a clothing order, it usually means no VAT payment at delivery. It does not remove the €3 duty or the €2 fee.
Who pays VAT on imported clothing in the EU?
The buyer ultimately bears import VAT, because it is added to the price or collected on delivery. With IOSS you pay it at checkout. Without IOSS, the carrier typically collects it from you before delivery, unless the seller has agreed to cover it.
Is there a duty-free threshold for clothing?
Not for customs duty any more. The €150 duty exemption ended on 1 July 2026, and the Council says the temporary flat duty will stay until the EU customs data hub is operational, currently expected in 2028. There has been no VAT-free threshold since July 2021.
Is the €3 duty charged per parcel or per item?
It is charged per item type, meaning per tariff sub-heading, not per parcel. Several garments in the same tariff category are charged one €3 duty, while different categories are each charged separately.
If you are ordering from ANAHIV, you pay no duties, VAT or fees on delivery. We ship free worldwide by DHL Express with all duties and taxes included. If you are shopping from the USA instead, our guide to import duty on clothing shipped from India to the USA covers that route. Our linen clothing collection is made to order, with a typical production time of 8 to 10 days before dispatch.