Change log
Dated rule changes that affect small cross-border sellers, with sources. Subscribe via Atom feed or email alerts.
Upcoming
- EU €2 Union Handling Fee per item and product identifiers required (scheduled) Partly verified Revenue (Irish Tax and Customs), European Commission
- US Section 232: upholstered furniture to 30%, kitchen cabinets/vanities to 50% (scheduled) Verified Trade Commissioner Service (Government of Canada)
- US: mandatory Entry Type 13 for regulated/201/232/301 postal goods Verified U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- EU €3 transitional duty due to end (extendable); normal tariffs once the customs data hub is live Verified EUR-Lex
- UK £135 duty relief removed by October 2028 at the latest Partly verified GOV.UK
History
· DutyDesk is now DutyAhead
Same guides, calculator and alerts under a new name and address: dutyahead.com. Old dutydeskguide.com links redirect automatically, and existing alert subscriptions continue unchanged.
· Site launched (as DutyDesk)
First version: 13 route guides, buyer-cost calculator, change log and alerts. Every rule was checked against its source on 20 Oct 2026.
· US: mandatory postal Entry Type 13 postponed to 20 Jan 2027
CBP moved the compliance date for electronic informal entry of regulated postal goods, and goods subject to Section 201/232/301 duty, from 22 Oct 2026 to 20 Jan 2027.
· EU: Irish Revenue publishes €2 Union Handling Fee guidance (from 1 Nov 2026)
€2 per distinct item on B2C parcels from outside the EU, at any value. It is in addition to the €3 duty, non-refundable, and does not apply to private gifts.
· EU: Commission sets Union handling fee at €2 per item
Delegated regulation adopted. It still needs European Parliament/Council scrutiny and publication in the Official Journal.
· US: Section 338 tariffs on Canada modified; import bans from 29 Sep
Products added and removed, and Section 338 now stacks on Section 232. Some Canadian products are banned from 29 Sep 2026.
· Canada: new 15/25/50% counter-tariffs on listed US goods
The 50% rate covers clothing and apparel, furniture, steel and aluminium. The 25% rate covers appliances and cheese, among others.
· Shopify Managed Markets ends DDU
Buyers now pay duties and taxes at checkout in every market where Managed Markets supports DDP.
· US: 50% Section 338 tariff on many Canadian products
Covers plastics, furniture, ICT, electronics, paper, wood, textiles and apparel, and sports equipment. There is no CUSMA exemption.
· US: Section 122 expires; Section 301 'forced-labor' tariffs start
UK +10% on top of normal duty; EU 10% net of normal duty; Canada 10% unless entered under USMCA; Australia 12.5%.
· US: new postal informal entry process; standard duty rates for mail
Mail shipments up to US$2,500 now go through the new process and pay standard rates (FTA claims possible). Royal Mail PDDP limit raised to US$2,500.
· UK: policy paper on removing £135 duty relief
Defines low-value imports by consignment value and introduces fiscal representatives. In force by October 2028 at the latest.
· Etsy: DDP required for US orders to qualify for Purchase Protection
Sellers outside the US must ship US orders DDP to keep Etsy Purchase Protection. The requirement is confirmed on Etsy Help; the date comes from a search extract.
· EU: €150 duty exemption abolished; €3 per item duty starts
Applies to IOSS and postal consignments of €150 or less until 1 Jul 2028.
· EU: duties removed on covered US industrial goods (Reg. 2026/1455)
Applies until 31 Dec 2029.
· US: CBP rule indefinitely suspends de minimis for mail
Interim final rule creating a postal informal entry process, effective 24 Jul 2026.
· UK: removal of £135 duty relief brought forward to October 2028
Previously planned for March 2029.
· US: Section 232 metals tariffs move to full-value tiers (15–50%)
Goods with less than 15% metal content are exempt.
· US: IEEPA tariffs end; 10% Section 122 surcharge begins
Follows the 20 Feb 2026 Supreme Court ruling in Learning Resources v. Trump. De minimis stays suspended.
· EU: Council adopts €3 small-parcel customs duty
Charged per item category (tariff sub-heading) from 1 Jul 2026.
· Canada: most counter-tariffs removed for CUSMA-compliant US goods
Counter-tariffs on steel, aluminium and autos stayed.
· US: de minimis suspended for all countries
All commercial shipments to the US pay applicable duties regardless of value.
· Etsy suspends Canada Post and Evri US-bound labels
Etsy will bring them back once the carriers support DDP.
· Canada: Nova Scotia HST cut to 14%
Was 15%.