The Customs Watch EU: Edition 33

Sep 23

7 min read

🔐 EU customs reform is live, electrical steel safeguards start 25 September, and India and Australia FTAs move closer.

The Customs Watch EU

Summary: The EU customs landscape has shifted again this week. The recast Union Customs Code is now in force, bringing a 12-month implementation period, a new EU Customs Authority, changes to low-value consignments and new e-commerce importer responsibilities. At the same time, provisional safeguards on grain-oriented electrical steel and transformer cores take effect on 25 September, creating immediate landed-cost exposure for affected importers. The EU has also expanded its dual-use control list, while major trade agreements with India and Australia move closer to implementation.

EU Customs Reform Has Entered Into Force

The recast Union Customs Code was published in the Official Journal on 19 September 2026 and is now applying progressively, with Member States given a 12-month implementation window.

The reform establishes a new EU Customs Authority in Lille, introduces a single EU customs data interface and changes importer responsibilities. There are also immediate cost implications. The €150 low-value exemption has been abolished, with a temporary €3 customs duty applying from 1 July 2026 to July 2028. A new EU-wide small-parcel handling fee is expected from November 2026, with the amount to be set by delegated act.

The EU Customs Data Hub is scheduled to become operational for e-commerce by 1 July 2028 and for all other trade by 2031 at the latest.

👉 Download this week's edition of The Customs Watch EU to access the full analysis, practical guidance and expert commentary.

E-Commerce Platforms Face New Importer Liability

The customs reform also changes the treatment of direct-to-consumer e-commerce imports.

The new "importer for distance sales" concept places customs formalities and import-duty liability on e-commerce platforms and suppliers, or their indirect customs representatives, for qualifying B2C sales.

The rules introduce graduated penalties of 1-4% of import value, rising to 3-6% for repeat infringements, alongside potential consequences for trusted-trader status.

The Union handling fee for B2C consignments starts from 1 November 2026 at the latest, while the Data Hub becomes mandatory for e-commerce from 1 July 2028.

👉 Download this week's edition of The Customs Watch EU to understand the new liability framework and what it means for customs, finance, legal and e-commerce teams.

Electrical Steel Safeguards Start on 25 September

Provisional EU safeguard measures on grain-oriented electrical steel, laminations, cores and transformer cores enter into force on 25 September 2026. The measures combine tariff-rate quotas with price thresholds. For grain-oriented electrical steel, the thresholds range from €2,800 to €3,400 per tonne, depending on grade, while the threshold outside the quotas is €3,500 per tonne.

For cores imported inside a finished transformer, a provisional safeguard duty of €1,140 per tonne applies to the weight of the core. The measures cover products under CN codes 7225 11 00, 7226 11 00 and 8504 90 13, among others specified by the measure, and are scheduled to run until 26 February 2027 pending the Commission's decision on definitive measures.

👉 Download this week's edition of The Customs Watch EU for the detailed product coverage, quota and price-threshold analysis.

Additional Developments This Week

EU Dual-Use Control List Expands

The Commission has adopted an update to Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2021/821, adding controls covering areas including semiconductor manufacturing and testing equipment, advanced computing ICs with Digital Processing Units, ceramic matrix composites, additive manufacturing for energetic materials and certain aerospace technology.

The amendment follows 2025 decisions by the Wassenaar Arrangement, Australia Group and Nuclear Suppliers Group. Exporters should review affected product portfolios ahead of entry into force following the standard scrutiny period.

👉 Download this week's edition of The Customs Watch EU to access the full analysis, practical guidance and expert commentary.

EU Trade Defence Enforcement Intensifies

The Commission's 44th annual trade defence report records 32 new investigations and 26 definitive measures, bringing the total number of measures in force to 232.

Chemicals, iron and steel remain important areas of activity. The Commission also reports retroactive duties in three cases and continued monitoring of trade diversion.

👉 Download this week's edition of The Customs Watch EU to access the full analysis, practical guidance and expert commentary.

EU-Australia FTA Negotiations Concluded

EU and Australian leaders welcomed the conclusion of negotiations on a comprehensive EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement on 21 September 2026.

Signature and ratification are still required before preferential tariffs, rules of origin and quotas take effect. Businesses trading with Australia can begin assessing potential origin and duty-saving opportunities ahead of publication of the final schedule.

👉 Download this week's edition of The Customs Watch EU to access the full analysis, practical guidance and expert commentary.

EU-India FTA Moves Towards Signature

The Commission has proposed the signing and conclusion of the EU-India FTA, which it describes as the largest trade agreement concluded by either side.

Once in force, the agreement is expected to reduce or eliminate tariffs on 96% of EU goods exports to India, with projected duty savings of around €4 billion annually.

Signature, European Parliament consent, conclusion and Indian ratification remain outstanding, so there are currently no new customs codes or preferential filing deadlines.

👉 Download this week's edition of The Customs Watch EU to access the full analysis, practical guidance and expert commentary.

EUDR Product Scope Has Been Revised

A new Delegated Regulation published on 17 September 2026 changes the scope of the EU Deforestation Regulation.

Several products are removed from scope, while soluble coffee, frozen cattle tongues and additional palm-oil derivatives are added. New exemptions also cover areas including waste, used and second-hand goods, packaging in use, medicinal products and testing samples.

Businesses should re-map their product portfolios against the revised Annex I.

👉 Download this week's edition of The Customs Watch EU to access the full analysis, practical guidance and expert commentary.

SPS Market Access Tender

DG TRADE has launched a €1 million, four-year framework contract covering SPS study visits and market-access analysis.

The tender has no direct customs filing or landed-cost impact for importers. The deadline for tenders is 16 November 2026 at 14:00 CET.

👉 Download this week's edition of The Customs Watch EU to access the full analysis, practical guidance and expert commentary.

EU-Ecuador Investment Facilitation Agreement

The Commission has sent the EU-Ecuador Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement to the Council for signature and conclusion.

The agreement focuses on investment barriers, regulatory uncertainty, sustainable energy and raw materials. It does not introduce tariff, rules-of-origin or customs-clearance changes.

👉 Download this week's edition of The Customs Watch EU to access the full analysis, practical guidance and expert commentary.

Overview of This Week's Edition Changes

Topic	Why It Matters
EU Customs Reform	New customs architecture, importer responsibilities and immediate low-value cost changes
E-Commerce Importer Liability	Platforms and sellers face new customs and duty responsibilities for distance sales
Electrical Steel Safeguards	Quotas, price thresholds and a €1,140/t transformer-core duty start 25 September
Dual-Use Controls	Additional semiconductor, computing and aerospace technologies move into the EU control framework
Trade Defence	32 new investigations and 232 measures in force indicate continuing enforcement pressure
EU-Australia FTA	Negotiations concluded, creating future preferential trade opportunities
EU-India FTA	Agreement moves towards signature with projected tariff savings of around €4 billion annually
EUDR Scope	Product coverage changes require businesses to re-check their affected goods
SPS Tender	€1 million market-access framework opportunity for specialist consultants
EU-Ecuador SIFA	Investment facilitation agreement progresses without changing customs tariffs or procedures

🔐 Unlock the Full Technical Analysis

The Customs Watch Edition 33 provides the detailed regulatory analysis behind this week's developments, including:

The implementation timetable for the recast Union Customs Code
The new EU Customs Authority and future Customs Data Hub
The €3 low-value duty and forthcoming small-parcel handling fee
New e-commerce importer-for-distance-sales responsibilities
Penalty exposure and trusted-trader implications
The expanded 2026 EU dual-use control list
The CN codes, quotas and price thresholds covered by the electrical steel safeguards
The €1,140 per tonne transformer-core safeguard duty
The EU's latest trade defence activity and retroactive-duty developments
The next steps for the EU-Australia FTA
The EU-India FTA process, projected tariff savings and future origin considerations
The revised EUDR product scope and exemptions
The SPS market-access tender
The EU-Ecuador investment facilitation agreement

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