# EU Small Consignment Duty Slows Air Freight from Hong Kong by 24 Percent **Category:** Regulation | **Source:** Frachtportal Redaktion | **Published:** 2026-07-28 | **Updated:** 2026-07-30 **Tags:** Luftfracht Raten 2026, HongKong, Kong Kong, EU Kleinsendungszoll, De-Minimis, E-Commerce, Luftfracht, WoldACD, China Europa, IOSS, Zollanmeldung, Logistik News, Transport News, Fracht News, Speditions News, Supply Chain News, Zoll News, Frachtportal News, Digitalisierung, Zoll > Since the new EU tariff on small shipments, air freight from Hong Kong to Europe has declined significantly. Spot rates on the China-Europe route are also falling. --- The new EU customs regulations for small shipments are showing clear signs of impact on the air freight market. According to WorldACD, billable air freight weight from Hong Kong to Europe in week 29, from July 13-19, 2026, declined by another 5 percent compared to the previous week. This was already the fifth consecutive weekly decline. Compared to the same week of the previous year, the volume was 24 percent lower. Over the average of weeks 26-29, the decline was 18 percent. Air freight from mainland China to Europe also experienced a downturn. In week 29, it was 10 percent below the previous year's value. WorldACD attributes the decline to the new EU regulations. Since July 1, the previous customs exemption for shipments up to 150 euros was abolished. For many e-commerce shipments and postal items processed via IOSS, a temporary customs duty of 3 euros per item applies. At the same time, requirements for simplified H7 customs declaration were adjusted. Hong Kong is particularly affected because a large proportion of air freight there consists of small-scale e-commerce shipments. Overall, air freight from Asia-Pacific to Europe in weeks 28 and 29 each declined by 13 percent compared to the previous year. Vietnam and Thailand also reported declines. Movement is also visible in freight rates. The spot rate from China to Europe fell in week 29 by 5 percent to an average of 4.17 US dollars per kilogram. However, it remained 8 percent above the previous year. The global average rate from contract and spot prices was 3.00 US dollars per kilogram and was 23 percent above the previous year's value. The comparison with the USA must be read cautiously. China–USA was 19 percent and Hong Kong–USA 8 percent above the previous year. However, the comparison values in summer 2025 following the then-US customs change were particularly weak. A direct shift of all shipments from Europe to the USA cannot be derived from this. --- For air freight forwarders, the decline can bring more available cargo capacity on routes from Hong Kong and China to Europe in the short term. This increases pressure on spot rates. However, there is no talk of a price collapse yet, as fuel surcharges and geopolitical risks continue to keep costs high. Shippers and e-commerce merchants should verify whether their customs systems correctly calculate the new €3 customs duty per item. Particularly for shipments containing multiple different types of goods, customs duty can be charged multiple times. Swiss merchants are affected if they sell goods directly to customers in the EU or import via an EU warehouse or EU fulfillment service provider. The EU regulation does not apply for pure imports into Switzerland. It is conceivable that merchants will increasingly consolidate goods shipments to the EU and distribute from there in the future. Whether this shift actually takes place on a large scale is not yet evident from current figures. In short: Small-scale e-commerce air freight to Europe will become more expensive and complex. Forwarders should review customs costs, item positions, and shipment structures. --- The new EU rules have been in effect since July 1, 2026. The previous duty exemption for shipments up to 150 euros has been abolished. Transitionally, a duty of 3 euros per product line or product category applies. Hong Kong–Europe was 24 percent below the prior year in week 29. Volume declined for five consecutive weeks compared to the previous week. China–Europe was 10 percent below the prior year in week 29. Asia-Pacific–Europe lost 13 percent in weeks 28 and 29 respectively. The China–Europe spot rate fell to 4.17 US dollars per kilogram. The global average of spot and contract rates was 3.00 US dollars per kilogram. The WorldACD analysis is based on more than 500,000 transactions per week. ## Related Entities ### Countries - [Austria](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/at) - [Belgium](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/be) - [Bulgaria](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/bg) - [Croatia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/hr) - [Cyprus](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/cy) - [Czechia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/cz) - [Denmark](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/dk) - [Estonia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ee) - [Finland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/fi) - [France](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/fr) - [Germany](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/de) - [Greece](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/gr) - [Hungary](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/hu) - [Ireland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ie) - [Italy](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/it) - [Latvia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/lv) - [Lithuania](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/lt) - [Luxembourg](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/lu) - [Malta](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/mt) - [Netherlands](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/nl) - [Poland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/pl) - [Portugal](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/pt) - [Romania](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ro) - [Slovakia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/sk) - [Slovenia](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/si) - [Spain](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/es) - [Sweden](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/se) - [Norway](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/no) - [Iceland](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/is) - [Liechtenstein](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/li) - [Hong Kong](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/hk) - [China](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/cn) ### Airports - [Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/hong-kong-international-airport-hkg) ### Glossary - [Freight rate](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/freight-rate) - [Freight Rate](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/freight-rate-2) - [Air freight](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/air-freight-2) - [Shipment](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/shipment) - [Goods](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/goods) - [Customs duty](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/customs-duty) - [Customs declaration](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/customs-declaration-2) - [Air Cargo](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/air-cargo) - [Air freight](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/air-freight) - [Line item](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/line-item) - [Traces](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/traces) - [Spot Rate](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/spot-rate) - [De minimis rule](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/de-minimis-rule-3) --- *Canonical URL: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/eu-kleinsendungszoll-bremst-luftfracht-aus-hongkong-um-24-prozent-20260728183835](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/news/eu-kleinsendungszoll-bremst-luftfracht-aus-hongkong-um-24-prozent-20260728183835)* *Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/eu-kleinsendungszoll-bremst-luftfracht-aus-hongkong-um-24-prozent-20260728183835](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/news/en/eu-kleinsendungszoll-bremst-luftfracht-aus-hongkong-um-24-prozent-20260728183835)*