Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost to (1) businesses, and (2) consumers, in Northern Ireland of the introduction by the European Union of a €2 handling charge for parcels with a value of less than €150.

We are aware of changes to the EU’s rules of low-value imports and the announcement in December 2025 of its intention to introduce a handling fee on consumer parcels from November 2026.

At the Budget in November 2025, the Chancellor also announced the removal of the UK's relief from customs duty on goods below £135 from March 2029 at the latest. There is currently a consultation on these changes that closes on 6th March 2026.

We are committed to ensuring that the current facilitations available for parcels under the Windsor Framework continue to operate. The EU has not yet published their full legislation in relation to the handling fee and therefore an assessment cannot be made. The Government is, however, engaging closely with the EU with regard to their announcements.

The Government continues to engage with industry and the EU to ensure any applicable arrangements are implemented correctly and to minimise any negative impacts on Northern Ireland consumers and businesses.