Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has considered the potential impact of changes to EU customs duties for small parcels on the responsibility to promote knowledge exchange under the Florence Agreement.

The Government has been following the development of the EU’s Union Customs Code reforms closely, including the removal of the €150 customs duty relief for small parcels from 1 July 2026. These are EU domestic measures, and we are engaging with the European Commission and UK businesses to understand the implications. My department has published guidance on gov.uk to support exporters to continue to access EU markets.

We recognise the importance of the UNESCO Florence Agreement in promoting the exchange of educational, scientific and cultural materials by reducing customs barriers that could impede knowledge exchange.