Save European Hardware Innovation

Since July 1, 2026, the EU has introduced a flat €3 fee per product category (defined by the 6-digit HS code) on B2C imports. While this was designed to stop the flood of cheap fast-fashion and plastic goods, it accidentally penalizes the entire European hardware, robotics, and maker ecosystem.

To understand the absurdity of this law, imagine buying a €15 Lego car from abroad. Under this new regulation, customs now says: "We charge a €3 fee for the red bricks, €3 for the blue bricks, €3 for the tires, and €3 for the axles." You suddenly pay €12 in processing fees for a €15 toy. This is exactly what is happening to prototyping components, from microcontrollers to ball bearings.

Building a simple automated mechanism (like a smart blind actuator or a small robot) requires a mix of highly specialized electronic and mechanical parts that are often completely unavailable from B2C distributors within the EU. We are forced to buy from international specialized distributors. A standard order for one simple prototype now triggers a catastrophic chain of fees based on HS codes.

For a bag of mixed parts worth maybe €15, a student or hobbyist is now charged €24 in flat customs fees alone. Together with VAT, a €15 educational project now costs over €40. This is a 200%+ tax on innovation.

The Impact on Europe

1. Killing STEM Education: Students, apprentices, and hobbyists can no longer afford to build, learn, and prototype across disciplines like electronics, mechanics, and robotics.
2. Stopping Innovation: Hardware startups begin in home labs. Cross-disciplinary prototyping has now become financially ruinous for private individuals in the EU.
3. No local Alternatives: We cannot "buy local" because the vast inventories of highly specialized prototyping components simply do not exist in the EU B2C market. We are being penalized for something we cannot avoid.

We urge the EU to introduce an amendment to this regulation to save European hardware innovation.