EU import charges contribute to decline in Asian parcel shipments to Dutch postal company
- Under new rules, parcels entering EU from outside bloc are subject to $3.3 customs duty per product category
By Melike Pala
BRUSSELS (AA) - Dutch postal and logistics company PostNL reported a sharp decline in international parcel deliveries in the third quarter of 2026, with shipments from Asian online retailers accounting for much of the decrease, broadcaster NOS reported Monday.
The company said international parcel volumes fell by almost 32% in the third quarter, according to its financial results.
The decline followed a 15% drop in international parcel volumes in the previous quarter, largely driven by fewer shipments from Asia.
PostNL attributed the latest decline mainly to changes in European Union customs regulations that took effect on July 1.
Under the new rules, parcels valued at up to €150 ($168) entering the EU from outside the bloc are subject to an additional customs duty of €3 per product category.
Shipments from outside the EU are also set to face an additional €2 handling fee beginning in November.
Meanwhile, PostNL recorded a significant increase in parcel deliveries within Europe, with volumes rising by more than 40% compared with the same period last year.
However, the company said this growth was insufficient to offset the sharp decline in deliveries originating from Asia.