EU Customs Policy Update (Effective July 1, 2026)
⚠️ Important Notice for EU Customers
Since July 1, 2026, the European Union has introduced new customs regulations for imports from non-EU countries.
Some customers may be required to pay import duties before their parcel can be delivered. If you receive a payment request from your local postal service, this is usually a normal part of the new EU customs clearance process.
To avoid unexpected import charges, we recommend choosing one of our Duty Paid Shipping services whenever available. With Duty Paid Shipping, Dragon Tea House pays the import duties on your behalf.
Please note: Free Shipping does not include import duties or customs charges.
As of July 1, 2026, the European Union has introduced new customs regulations affecting many commercial parcels imported from countries outside the EU.
As a result, some customers may receive a notification from their local postal service (such as La Poste, Deutsche Post, PostNL, Poste Italiane, and others) requesting payment of import duties before their parcel can be delivered.
If you receive such a notification, please do not worry. In most cases, there is no problem with your order. This is simply part of the EU's new customs clearance process.
Why Has the EU Introduced These New Rules?
Cross-border e-commerce has grown rapidly over the past several years, with billions of low-value parcels entering the European Union annually from non-EU countries.
The EU concluded that the previous customs system no longer reflected today's import environment because:
• Low-value imports benefited from customs exemptions that created an uneven competitive environment for EU businesses.
• Customs authorities faced increasing pressure to process a rapidly growing number of small parcels.
• The previous system made customs supervision and tax collection more difficult.
To modernize customs procedures, improve market fairness, strengthen customs supervision, and increase government revenue, the European Union introduced a new customs framework effective July 1, 2026.
These regulations are established by the European Union and apply to imports from all non-EU countries. They are not policies introduced by Dragon Tea House.
What Has Changed?
Before July 1, 2026
• Many parcels valued below €150 entered the EU without customs duty.
• Customers rarely received customs payment requests.
• Most parcels were delivered immediately after customs clearance.
Since July 1, 2026
• Many low-value commercial imports may now be subject to import duties.
• Local postal operators may request payment before delivery.
• Customs inspections and import procedures have become more comprehensive.
• Receiving a customs payment notification is now a normal part of the import process.
Which Countries Are Affected?
These regulations apply throughout all 27 Member States of the European Union, including:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
Any parcel imported into these countries from outside the European Union may be subject to the new customs procedures.
Why Didn't I Have To Pay Before?
Many Dragon Tea House customers have been shopping with us for years without ever paying import duties.
This is simply because the regulations have changed.
The customs charges are imposed by your country's customs authority and collected by your local postal service or customs agent. They are not additional fees charged by Dragon Tea House.
Why Is My Customs Charge Different From Someone Else's?
The amount requested may vary depending on several factors, including:
• Your country's customs regulations
• Your local postal operator
• The declared contents and value of your parcel
• Local customs processing or postal collection fees
For this reason, customers in different countries, or even different shipments, may receive different payment requests.
Does Dragon Tea House Receive Any Of These Charges?
No.
Import duties, taxes, and customs-related charges are collected entirely by your country's customs authority or postal operator.
Dragon Tea House does not receive any portion of these payments.
What Should I Do If I Receive A Customs Payment Request?
If your local postal service has requested payment, we recommend completing the payment promptly so your parcel can continue through customs and be delivered without unnecessary delay.
If you are unsure whether the notification is genuine, please verify it through your national postal service before making payment.
How Dragon Tea House Can Help
Although customs duties are determined by government authorities and are beyond our control, we are always happy to assist.
We can help you:
• Check your shipment's latest tracking status.
• Confirm whether a customs notification appears to be part of the normal delivery process.
• Provide invoices or supporting documents if requested by customs.
• Assist if your parcel experiences unusual customs delays or is returned to sender.
If you have any questions regarding your shipment, please feel free to contact us.
Recommendations From Dragon Tea House
1. Combine Your Purchases Whenever Possible
Under the new EU regulations, each imported parcel may require its own customs processing and may incur separate import-related charges.
If you plan to purchase multiple items, we recommend placing them in a single order whenever possible.
If you have already placed an order but would like to add more items before it has been shipped, please contact us. In many cases, we can combine your orders into one shipment.
Ordering more items in a single parcel is often more economical than placing several smaller orders.
2. Choose Our Duty Paid Shipping Service
To make shopping easier for our customers, Dragon Tea House now offers Duty Paid Shipping for selected destinations.
When you choose a shipping method marked Duty Paid:
• Dragon Tea House pays the import duties on your behalf.
• In most cases, no additional customs payment will be required before delivery.
Please note that Duty Paid Shipping is only available for selected shipping methods and destinations.
Free Shipping does not include import duties or customs charges.
If you choose Free Shipping, any import duties or customs charges imposed by your country's authorities remain the responsibility of the recipient.
Please review the available shipping options during checkout and choose the service that best meets your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a scam?
Usually not.
If the notification comes from your country's official postal service or customs authority, it is generally a legitimate part of the customs clearance process.
If you are uncertain, please verify the notification through your postal service's official website.
Will every parcel be charged?
Not necessarily.
Whether import duties apply, and the amount charged, are determined by your country's customs authority.
However, compared with previous years, more imported parcels may now be subject to customs procedures under the new regulations.
Can Dragon Tea House reimburse customs charges?
Unfortunately, no.
Import duties are government-imposed charges and are not included in the product price or free shipping cost.
Will future orders also be affected?
As long as the current EU customs regulations remain in effect, future imports from outside the European Union may continue to be subject to import duties.
We will continue monitoring international shipping regulations and update this page whenever significant changes occur.
Thank You For Your Understanding
We understand that these new regulations may come as an unexpected change, especially for customers who have supported Dragon Tea House for many years.
We sincerely appreciate your continued trust and support.
Our team will continue monitoring international shipping and customs developments and will keep this page updated with the latest information.
If you receive a customs notification or have any questions regarding your order, please don't hesitate to contact us. We are always happy to help.