In August and September, the number of declaration lines for e-commerce goods was about 70% lower than in the same period of 2025. At the same time, declaration lines in the regular Customs Declaration Management System increased by 43%.
The customs-duty exemption for e-commerce consignments worth up to €150 ended on 1 July. Companies have since paid €3 per product type or declaration line. This makes one larger consignment containing the same product type relatively cheaper than many individual consumer parcels.
Dutch Customs sees indications that foreign sellers are adapting their business models: goods are increasingly imported into the European Union in bulk, stored in warehouses and sent to consumers from within the EU only after an online order. Sellers do not necessarily leave the market; the inventory location changes.
Customs authorities are still examining the exact causes of the decline with other Member States. Evasion may play a role alongside legitimate consolidation. Webshops and fulfilment companies should therefore not yet treat the figures as a definitive new market balance.