If you live in the EU and order from outside it, 2026 is the year the rules changed. You may have read that "small parcels now get taxed," or seen headlines about the end of the EU's duty-free threshold. It's real — and it affects almost every store shipping into Europe from abroad.
The short version: At Onaholestore, none of this changes what you pay. The price you see at checkout is the price you pay — no customs invoice, no courier handling fee, no surprise bill at your door. Here's why.
The 30-second summary
- The EU is phasing out the old €150 duty-free threshold — low-value parcels can now be charged import duty and VAT.
- For many small parcels that means a flat import duty (around €3 per item) plus local VAT, and sometimes a courier handling fee.
- Carriers now require more product data on every item for customs clearance.
- With Onaholestore, we handle and prepay all of it. We ship DDP — Delivered Duty Paid.
What actually changed in the EU
For years, parcels below €150 could enter the EU without customs duty. That exemption is being removed. Under the 2026 reforms, low-value shipments arriving from outside the EU can be subject to:
- Import duty — a flat charge (commonly cited at €3 per item) instead of the old "free under €150" treatment.
- VAT — your country's standard VAT applies to the goods.
- A clearance / handling fee — some couriers add their own admin fee for processing customs.
- More paperwork per item — carriers must submit detailed product identifiers to customs; missing data can hold the parcel.
If you order from a store that ships DDU / DAP (Delivered Duty Unpaid), you get the bill for all of the above — usually a text or email from the courier asking you to pay before delivery. That's the "surprise fee at the door" people are worried about.
Why it's different when you order from us
Onaholestore ships DDP — Delivered Duty Paid. In plain terms, we calculate the duties and taxes, prepay them on your behalf, and build them into the single price you pay at checkout.
DDP — Delivered Duty Paid, direct from Tokyo. Duties & taxes included · discreet packaging · one all-in price. When the new 2026 charges apply to your parcel, we've already covered them.
You will not get a customs invoice. You will not be asked to pay a courier before delivery. There is nothing extra to settle when your order arrives. This isn't a new policy we added because of the rule change — all-in DDP pricing has always been how we ship. The 2026 reforms simply make that promise more valuable, because many stores that quietly relied on the old €150 exemption no longer can.
What this means for you, in practice
- Your checkout total is final. Duty and tax are included. No second bill.
- No courier "pay to release" calls or links. A real Onaholestore order never generates one — so you can safely ignore any suspicious "customs fee" message.
- Faster, smoother clearance. We supply complete, correct product data, so your parcel isn't the one stuck waiting on missing information.
- Same discreet packaging, direct from Japan. Nothing about the change affects how your order is packed for privacy.
New to ordering from Japan? Our complete guide to buying from Japan walks through the whole process, and our buyer's guide can help you choose.
Frequently asked questions
Will I be charged import duty or VAT when my order arrives?
No. We ship DDP, so duties and taxes are prepaid and already included in your order total. There is nothing extra to pay on delivery.
I got a text asking me to pay a "customs fee." Is that from you?
No. A genuine Onaholestore order never results in a customs or courier fee for you. Treat any such message as suspicious and don't click the link.
Does this apply to my country?
The reforms apply across the EU. Wherever you are in the EU, our DDP pricing covers the local duty and VAT for you.
What about the UK, US, or elsewhere?
Our all-in, duties-included approach applies to the destinations we ship DDP. Your checkout total is still the price you pay.
Why do other stores suddenly charge more?
Many overseas stores relied on the old €150 duty-free rule and passed customs costs to the customer at delivery. With that exemption ending, those costs now land on the buyer — unless the store prepays them, as we do.
The bottom line
Europe's 2026 customs changes are real, and for a lot of cross-border orders they mean new fees and delays. With Onaholestore, they mean nothing extra for you — because we already ship Delivered Duty Paid, direct from Tokyo, with everything included in the price you see. One price. No surprises. Delivered.