Import duties in Australia: What’s changing for importers and exporters.

Trade with Australia is becoming easier – and more attractive. But what does this mean in practical terms for sending a parcel to Australia and the duties incurred?

The new free trade agreement opens up new opportunities for importers and exporters: lower costs, simplified processes and greater planning certainty in international shipping. What costs are involved in shipping and who is responsible for them? Who bears the costs for imports and exports? You can find all the answers here.

The most significant benefit of the agreement is the removal of customs barriers. This is expected to save European companies around 1 billion euros per year in import duties. The anticipated growth in exports from the EU to Australia could reach up to 33% over the next ten years.

Below you can see at a glance the key benefits and the sectors that stand to gain the most:

For dairy products, export growth of up to 33% is expected.

What is changing? (Import duties Australia/EU)	Advantages/benefits for importers	Key product groups for imports
Reduced or eliminated import duties from Australia	Lower purchase costs in international trade	Raw materials (e.g. lithium, aluminium, manganese)
Simplified import processes into the EU	Faster customs clearance for imports	agricultural products (e.g. beef, sheep and goat meat, wine, fruit and seafood)
Fewer regulatory hurdles in goods imports	More stable and efficient supply chains	Food
Improved trading conditions through the agreement	Greater planning certainty for importers	Specialised goods
Greater EU–Australia market integration	Diversification of procurement	Energy and raw material

Would you like to know how much it costs to send a parcel to Australia? Use our free shipping calculator and send directly to Australia.

After eight years of negotiations, the EU and Australia have reached an agreement to remove trade barriers and strengthen economic cooperation. According to the European Commission, this agreement is part of a broader strategy to diversify European trade routes.

The EU and Australia trade goods and services worth over €89 billion annually. This agreement makes cross-border trade significantly cheaper and more efficient for exporters and importers. It provides for the almost complete removal of customs duties on goods.

EU, which means your logistics documentation must be complete and correct.

• Customs documents remain mandatory: You need a correct commercial invoice for every shipment.
• The correct HS code is crucial: As import duties vary depending on the product category, an incorrect code can lead to delays or additional costs.
• Strict Australian import regulations: Australia has very strict biosecurity regulations. Meat, dairy products, plants and soil are often prohibited or require special permits.
• Incoterms (DDP vs. DAP): These determine who bears the costs. With ‘Delivered Duty Paid’ (DDP), you cover the costs; with ‘Delivered At Place’ (DAP), the recipient does.

Whether you’re sending a small parcel or exporting heavy freight on a weekly basis – we make the shipping process seamless:

• Compare and save: Calculate the cost of parcel shipping to Australia directly with leading carriers such as FedEx, DHL, UPS, TNT and DPD.
• Automated customs documentation: Our platform automatically generates the correct customs invoices based on your booking. As soon as the trade agreement officially comes into force, we will automatically add the necessary treaty texts to your invoice to enable tariff reductions.
• Personalised B2B support: No chatbots – our logistics specialists assist you with complex export queries via chat or telephone.

The EU–Australia Free Trade Agreement is a strategic game-changer for B2B shipping.

In a nutshell:

• Lower tariffs → lower shipping costs
• Faster customs clearance → better delivery times
• More trade → higher shipping volumes
• More stable supply chains → lower risk

For LetMeShip customers, this means:

• more efficient international shipping processes
• better scalability in business with Australia
• competitive advantages in global trade