| # | Product (from the product page) | HS-6 | EU CN-8 | Why | Confidence | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paper notebook, A5-size $18 · 100 gsm paper, sewn binding, cardstock cover, dot grid |
4820.10 | 4820 10 30 | Heading 4820 names “notebooks” of paper; CN 4820 10 30 is “Notebooks, letter pads and memorandum pads”. | Solid | Not stated on page |
| 2 | Pocket notebooks (set of 3) $12 · Three small notebooks, 100 gsm paper, sewn binding |
4820.10 | 4820 10 30 | Same classification as the notebook above. If both are declared with the same description, they can share one declaration line. | Solid | Not stated on page |
| 3 | Brass bolt-action pen $125 · Solid brass body; Parker-style refill; page says it ships with an EasyFlow 9000 refill and also accepts a P8126 rollerball refill |
9608.10 | 9608 10 92 (or 9608 10 10) | A pen with a ball tip is a “ballpoint pen” (9608.10). The 8-digit code depends on the refill it ships with: liquid-ink rollerball = 9608 10 10; other ball pens with a replaceable refill = 9608 10 92. | Solid at 6 digits; double-check at 8 | Made in Los Angeles, USA (page) |
| 4 | Aluminium rollerball pen (German maker) $35 · Anodised aluminium body, rollerball tip, liquid-ink M63 refill |
9608.10 | 9608 10 10 | TARIC lists “With liquid ink (rolling ball pens)” as 9608 10 10. | Solid | Made in Germany (page) |
| 5 | Aluminium pen tray $29 · Milled from solid aluminium, anodised; holds one pen on a desk |
8304.00 | 8304 00 00 | The heading text itself names “pen trays … and similar office or desk equipment, of base metal”. The tempting answer, 7616 (other articles of aluminium), is wrong because 8304 is more specific. | Solid | Not stated on page |
| 6 | Walnut valet tray $69 · Solid walnut, matte sealant, rubber feet; for everyday-carry items |
4420.90 | 4420 90 99 | Heading 4420 covers caskets, cases “and similar articles, of wood”. Walnut is not tropical wood, so the 8-digit line is “Other”. | Double-check (an officer could argue 4421.99, other articles of wood) | Made in Pennsylvania, USA (page) |
| 7 | Japanese ceramic mug $36 · Page: “a proprietary blend of clay and crushed stone”; dishwasher and microwave safe |
6911.10 or 6912.00 | 6911 10 00 or 6912 00 23 | The name says porcelain, but the page describes a clay-and-stone blend. Porcelain (6911) is a technical category; if the body is stoneware it is 6912. Ask the maker for the technical sheet. For the €3 count it is one line either way. | Double-check | Made in Japan (page) |
| 8 | Stainless-steel scissors (Taiwanese maker) $50 · Stainless-steel blades, aluminium base |
8213.00 | 8213 00 00 | Heading 8213: “Scissors, tailors’ shears and similar shears”. | Solid | Made in Taiwan (page) |
| 9 | Quartz wall clock $80 · Quartz movement, 1 × AA battery, 300 mm |
9105.21 | 9105 21 00 | Wall clocks (9105.21), “electrically operated” — a battery quartz movement counts. | Solid | Not stated on page |
| 10 | Leather mousepad $49 · Full-grain leather, 8″ × 10″; backing not stated |
4205.00 | 4205 00 90 | Other articles of leather. If the pad is mainly a rubber or foam base with a thin leather face, the answer can change. | Double-check | Handcrafted in USA (page) |
Every code above was looked up in the EU’s official TARIC database (reference date 18 Oct 2026, TARIC last updated 16 Oct 2026), and the wording quoted is TARIC’s. “Solid” means the heading text clearly covers the product as described on your page. “Double-check” means one fact we could not see (material, refill, backing) changes the answer; we say which.
Rule: from 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2028, a B2C parcel of €150 or less pays €3 per item, whether or not IOSS is used and whichever carrier ships it. An item is goods in the parcel that share the same tariff classification, description and (where declared) origin. The Commission says that, because of current IT limits, the €3 is applied per declaration line. All three orders below are well under €150.
| Order | Contents | Separate classifications | €3 flat duty |
|---|---|---|---|
| A · Writing kit $65 | Paper notebook, A5-size + Pocket notebooks (set of 3) + Aluminium rollerball pen (German maker) | 2 (both notebooks are 4820.10) | €6 if the two notebooks go on one line with one description; €9 if your software writes one line per product |
| B · Desk set $114 | Aluminium pen tray + Aluminium rollerball pen (German maker) + Stainless-steel scissors (Taiwanese maker) | 3 (8304, 9608, 8213) | €9 — three different classifications cannot share a line |
| C · Gift $105 | Japanese ceramic mug + Walnut valet tray | 2 (69xx, 4420) | €6 |
| Topic | What the rule asks | What we saw (18 Oct 2026) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPSR responsible person | A product may be placed on the EU market only if an economic operator established in the EU is responsible for it (GPSR Art. 16). That can be an EU manufacturer, an importer, an authorised representative with a written mandate, or an EU fulfilment service provider (Reg. 2019/1020 Art. 4). Online offers must show the manufacturer’s name and postal and email address and, if the manufacturer is outside the EU, the responsible person’s (GPSR Art. 19). | All 10 product pages and the EU right-of-withdrawal page show only the brand’s US address and email. No EU responsible person. For the German-made rollerball pen the manufacturer is in the EU; the others are made in the US, Japan or Taiwan, or their origin is not stated. | Gap |
| Germany — packaging (LUCID) | Anyone sending packaged goods to German consumers registers in the public LUCID register and joins a take-back system; shipping packaging always counts. Since 12 August 2026, companies abroad without a German branch must also appoint an authorised representative; registration stays their own duty (ZSVR). | Not checked in this sample (the public register is a search form). The paid check includes it. | Unknown |
| France — producer ID (UIN) | Producers under French EPR schemes need one Unique Identification Number per scheme, shown in their terms of sale and on their website (ADEME). | No result for the brand name in ADEME’s public UIN dataset (updated 18 Oct 2026). It may be registered under another legal name; we did not review the terms of sale for a UIN. | Check |
| IOSS | Optional. A seller outside the EU that wants to use it must appoint an intermediary established in the EU, who becomes liable for the VAT (VAT Directive Arts. 369l–369m). | FAQ: orders are “not sent on a duties-paid basis (DDU)”; buyers pay import VAT, duties and carrier fees on arrival. | Not used |
MachBlink · EU Shipping Check · prepared from public information only; not legal advice.
Correction (19 Oct 2026): an earlier version of this sample said the €3 applied only to IOSS or postal parcels. Per the European Commission, it applies to all B2C parcels of €150 or less, whatever the carrier or VAT scheme.
Prepared by MachBlink (hello@machblink.com). Classification suggestions only; not legal advice; we do not file declarations.