Written question asked by Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 28 August 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. It was answered by Blair McDougall (Labour) on Tuesday, 8 September 2026 on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.

Parcels: Import Duties

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the EU's customs charge for small parcels on the (a) comic and (b) wider publishing industry; and whether his Department plans to seek an exemption for published material.

Answer: The Government has been following the development of the EU’s customs reforms closely and is aware of the potential impact on the publishing industry. The Government continues to raise the issue of tariff and non-tariff barriers affecting UK businesses through established UK-EU governance channels, including the removal of customs duty relief for low-value imports, to support UK businesses trading in and with the EU. We continue to engage with UK businesses to understand the potential implications for UK exporters and affected sectors. We encourage businesses and representative organisations to continue raising concerns through their established engagement channels with Government and the Commission, and where appropriate, through relevant stakeholder consultations.

Secondary information