Do AliExpress Orders Over €150 Owe Tax After EU Transit to Italy?

An AliExpress parcel passing through Belgium or the Netherlands can still generate import charges before delivery in Italy. A tracking scan in an EU country does not prove that import VAT and customs duty were assessed, paid, or correctly linked to the order. For goods with an intrinsic value above €150, the Import One Stop Shop, or IOSS, generally does not apply. The buyer should reconcile the checkout invoice, commercial invoice, customs entry, release evidence, and any carrier payment request.

This distinction is especially important in 2026 because the EU changed the treatment of low-value consignments from July 1. Those changes apply to consignments not exceeding €150; they do not turn a €289 collectible order into an IOSS shipment. The correct question is not merely where the parcel travelled, but where and how it was imported into the EU.

Check why the €150 threshold matters

European Commission guidance describes IOSS as a simplification for distance sales of imported goods not exceeding €150, provided the goods are dispatched from outside the EU to an EU consumer and are not subject to excise duty. When a valid IOSS number is used for an eligible shipment, VAT is collected on the sale and the corresponding import can receive an import-VAT exemption, avoiding a second VAT collection at import.

An order whose intrinsic value exceeds €150 falls outside that low-value IOSS scope. European Commission material on the standard VAT collection mechanism says goods above €150 require the standard import process rather than IOSS or the low-value special arrangements. Customs duty may also be due according to the product's classification and origin.

The threshold concerns intrinsic value under customs rules, not necessarily every number displayed at checkout. The buyer should retain the product price, discounts, shipping, insurance, and invoice because different elements can affect customs value and the import-VAT taxable amount. The Commission explains that the import-VAT base can include customs value, duties, taxes, and incidental expenses such as transport and insurance when they are not already included.

From July 1, 2026, the EU also introduced a temporary €3 customs duty per item for qualifying low-value e-commerce consignments up to €150. This rule does not supply the calculation for a consignment above €150. Using the low-value flat amount for a €289 order would apply the wrong regime.

Distinguish an EU transit scan from import release

A parcel can arrive at a Belgian or Dutch airport, postal hub, or sorting centre without being released for free circulation there. Tracking language such as “arrived at hub,” “processed,” or “departed facility” normally describes logistics movement. It does not, by itself, identify the customs procedure or prove payment.

Stronger evidence includes a customs-entry reference, the country of import, release-for-free-circulation status, an assessment, proof of payment, or a carrier notice identifying the tax and service charge. If the goods are imported in one EU Member State and then move to Italy, the customs and VAT treatment depends on the procedure actually used, not the consumer's guess based on the route map.

Ask the marketplace, seller, or carrier three questions. In which country was the customs declaration lodged? Who acted as the declarant or import-related party? Which amounts were already collected and under what legal or commercial description? Request the answer in writing and keep it with the order record.

A statement that Cainiao “handles customs” is not enough. Handling can mean transmitting data, appointing a broker, collecting an estimated amount, or arranging transport. Each is different from evidence that the exact shipment was released and the assessed charges were settled.

Reconcile the checkout invoice before shipment

Save the product listing, basket, checkout page, final payment page, and invoice. Separate product price, shipping, discount, VAT, customs duty, estimated import charges, and any platform service fee. Do not treat “VAT included” as a universal promise that every customs-related charge is included.

For an order above €150, ask the platform how it handles import VAT and duty for the destination. If VAT was removed or adjusted at checkout, save both versions of the calculation. If the platform collected an import deposit, confirm what it covers, who settles the import entry, and how refunds or additional assessments work.

The commercial invoice should describe the goods accurately and match the transaction value. For a collectible figure, the description, quantity, material where relevant, and price should be consistent with the purchase. A vague label or undervalue can create delay and make a duplicate-charge dispute harder to resolve.

Also retain proof of payment. Customs authorities may request transaction evidence when validating the declared value. The payment record should connect to the invoice and order number rather than appearing as an unexplained card total.

Review any carrier payment request line by line

When a carrier requests payment, ask for the customs value, tariff classification, duty, import VAT, disbursement or advancement fee, clearance fee, and any storage or administrative charge. These are separate items. A buyer cannot determine whether a charge is duplicated by comparing only the total.

Match the request to the checkout invoice. If VAT appears to have been paid twice, collect the marketplace invoice, customs assessment, carrier receipt, and proof of both payments. The correct remedy may involve the platform, seller, carrier, broker, or customs authority depending on which party collected the first amount and which procedure was used.

Do not refuse every payment request automatically. A legitimate import assessment can hold the parcel until resolved, while a platform refund claim may require proof that import VAT was paid. Ask for the deadline and consequence before deciding.

If the tracking page says “customs cleared” but the payment request comes later, verify the event sequence and country. A release scan can be posted before the consumer receives the carrier's invoice, and a charge can contain both government amounts and carrier service fees.

Prepare consistent China-origin records

When goods are purchased from several Chinese sellers or sent through a forwarding warehouse, keep the physical goods aligned with the invoice and declaration. YANCHAOBuy can receive goods in China, check order and quantity references, photograph or inspect them when requested, consolidate accepted items, and organize invoice and shipment information for the selected route.

The forwarding service can explain the declared service model and help keep records consistent, but it cannot decide the Italian or first-entry customs classification or guarantee that no additional amount will be assessed. Customs authorities and the actual import process determine release and tax treatment.

Do not split one commercial transaction, understate value, or use a vague description merely to appear below €150. Such actions can create compliance problems, penalties, seizure, or return. If the genuine order value exceeds the threshold, prepare it for the standard import process.

For dispute readiness, preserve the China warehouse receipt, carton contents, final packing list, invoice, declared value, tracking references, and handoff record. These documents help identify whether a later discrepancy came from the sale record, warehouse contents, carrier data, or customs assessment.

Summary and frequently asked questions

For an AliExpress order above €150 destined for Italy, an EU transit scan is not proof that import charges are settled. Verify the checkout charges, confirm where the customs declaration was lodged, obtain release and payment evidence, and separate government charges from carrier fees. IOSS and the 2026 low-value €3-per-item rule should not be used to calculate a consignment above €150.

If AliExpress charged VAT, why can the carrier still request payment? The answer depends on what the platform collected and whether the shipment was eligible for that mechanism. Obtain both the checkout invoice and the import assessment before alleging a duplicate charge.

Does “customs cleared” in the Netherlands mean Italy cannot charge anything? It is stronger evidence than a transit scan, but the buyer should still obtain the declaration, release country, and payment details. A later carrier invoice may include service fees or amounts assessed during that import process.

Can a €289 order be split into two parcels to use the low-value rules? Packaging alone does not rewrite the genuine sale. Artificial splitting, undervaluation, or inaccurate declarations can create customs risk. Use truthful transaction and shipment records.

Sources reviewed: European Commission Taxation and Customs Union guidance on IOSS, taxable amount, the standard mechanism for goods above €150, and the temporary low-value customs duty; reviewed September 21, 2026. The Reddit post is used only to identify the buyer's question, not as legal evidence.