Canada Post has announced the suspension of postal services to select European Union countries due to new customs regulations for low-value shipments. The postal service stated that parcels bound for twelve countries, including Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Spain, will not be accepted until further notice.
Shipments to other EU countries where Delivered Duties Unpaid agreements are feasible, such as Poland, Latvia, and Sweden, will continue to be accepted by Canada Post. The postal service also assured that they are working on implementing compliant solutions in the affected markets.
The European Union introduced a three-euro customs duty on parcels valued at 150 euros or less (approximately $240) from outside the bloc, effective Wednesday. Previously, these low-value packages were exempt from duties, but the EU deemed the rule outdated for the current high volume of online purchases.
In 2025, the EU received 5.9 billion low-value packages, constituting 97% of all imports for the bloc. The EU mentioned that many parcels are undervalued or falsely declared to avoid customs duties, giving non-EU sellers an unfair advantage over local businesses.
The EU emphasized that the new duty is temporary, and starting from July 1, 2028, imports will be taxed based on the product’s value, origin, and tariff classification. The U.S. also made a similar policy change last August, abolishing the long-standing de minimis exemption for packages under $800 entering the country.
This adjustment was made to prevent illegal substances from entering the U.S. unnoticed in low-value packages. Canada has its exemption for low-value packages from Mexico and the U.S. valued at $150 or lower, exempting them from customs duties.