Austria Plans New Parcel Levy from 2026

What B2B companies need to know

According to the current legislative proposal, a fee of approximately €2 per delivered parcel is to be introduced from 1 October 2026. 

The measure would affect both large and smaller e-commerce platforms and mail-order retailers. 

The regulation applies to B2C online commerce parcels, including both domestic and cross-border shipments. Physical retail stores are not affected. 

The objective of the measure is to reduce the environmental impact of online commerce. This includes CO₂ emissions from transportation, packaging waste volumes, and high return rates. 

At the same time, it aims to achieve a fairer distribution of costs between online and brick-and-mortar retail. 

Another reason behind the proposal is the growing burden on logistics and waste management infrastructure resulting from the rapid growth of e-commerce. 

The parcel levy is not part of the EPR system but operates within a similar regulatory context, as both approaches seek to internalize environmental costs more effectively. 

For e-commerce businesses, this means an additional cost component along the supply chain, on top of EPR fees, packaging registration obligations, and logistics expenses. 

Retailers with high shipment volumes to Austria are expected to be particularly affected, as the levy can accumulate quickly. 

International sellers will also need to take the new framework conditions into account, although the specific implementation details are still being developed. 

Industry experts expect that part of the additional cost may be passed on to consumers, potentially influencing purchasing decisions in online retail. 

At the same time, the regulation could encourage more efficient shipping structures, such as shipment consolidation and optimized logistics processes. 

Overall, this development reflects a clear trend in Europe: environmental and logistics costs are increasingly being integrated into regulatory frameworks.