People shopping online in the Canary Islands will now face the new customs charge on many low-value purchases from outside the European Union, as a new EU rule comes into force today (1st July), in addition to current import charges.

The measure affects goods worth €150 or less that are shipped from countries outside the EU customs territory, including popular shopping platforms such as AliExpress, Temu and Shein.

However, the new charge is not limited to these websites and applies to any qualifying online purchase from outside the EU, but they are highlighted due to the huge amount of deliveries from them to the islands every day.

What is the new charge?

Under the new rules, a simplified customs duty of €3 will apply for each product line on the customs declaration, rather than automatically for every individual order.

This means that a single purchase could incur more than one €3 charge if the items are listed under several different categories. Equally, some orders may only attract a single charge, depending on how they are declared.

The change is part of the European Union's wider overhaul of its customs system and is intended as a temporary measure while a new EU-wide customs framework is introduced.

Does it apply in the Canary Islands?

Yes.

There had been uncertainty over whether the Canary Islands, which have their own unique tax system, would be exempt from the new charge.

However, the position has now been clarified. As the measure forms part of European customs legislation and is administered by Spain's Tax Agency, it also applies to purchases made by consumers in the Canary Islands.

Why has the EU introduced it?

The European Union says the new duty is designed to modernise customs procedures in response to the rapid growth of international online shopping.

The simplified charge forms part of a broader customs reform package aimed at making it easier to process the increasing number of low-value imports arriving from countries outside the EU.

While many shoppers will notice the change on purchases from AliExpress, Temu and Shein, the rule covers all eligible online retailers shipping qualifying goods from outside the European Union.

For consumers in the Canary Islands, the new customs duty comes into effect from today and will apply alongside the existing import procedures already in place for goods entering the archipelago.