International Shipping from Italy: Carriers and Customs

Shipping internationally from Italy is no longer optional, it is a competitive necessity. The Italian ecommerce market is growing, but the European one is much larger. According to the European ecommerce report cited by Netcomm, the Italian ecommerce consortium, B2C online sales in 38 European countries reached €911 billion in 2025, 7% more than the year before. Italian D2C brands that limit themselves to the domestic market are giving up most of this demand.

TL;DR, Italy is a strategic logistics hub for shipping across Europe. With road services, the indicative transit times published by GLS Italy range from 2 business days for Germany, France, Spain, Austria, and the Benelux to more than 4 for Finland and Greece, while express services deliver in one or two business days to the main EU countries. Costs depend on the contract, chargeable weight, and surcharges, and can only be compared with a quote. For non-EU shipments (UK, Switzerland, Norway), customs documentation and import VAT management are required. A multi-carrier system is essential for optimizing costs and delivery times for each destination.

This guide covers everything an Italian merchant needs to know about shipping abroad: carriers, costs, timelines, documentation, and strategies for competing in European markets.

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Italy as a logistics hub for Europe

Strategic geographic position

Italy occupies a central position in the Mediterranean and southern Europe. With road services, the large western European markets can be reached in two business days and the most distant destinations in four or more, according to GLS Italy's indicative transit times. The country-by-country breakdown is further down, in the section on delivery times.

There is no ideal starting point that suits everyone. Transit times change with the carrier, the service you choose, and where the parcel ships from, so for your main destinations ask carriers for transit times from the warehouse you will ship from.

Why sell abroad from Italy

Italian brands have a natural competitive advantage in Europe: "Made in Italy" is one of the most recognized country brands in the world. In fashion, beauty, food, and design categories, Italian products enjoy a strong image in foreign markets.

The most receptive European markets for Italian brands:

Market	Why It Works	Top Sectors
Germany	Large ecommerce market, strong Made in Italy demand	Fashion, food, beauty
France	Cultural affinity, high purchasing power	Fashion, cosmetics, design
Spain	Fast-growing market, price sensitivity	Fashion, beauty, supplements
UK	Mature market, strong demand for Italian products	Fashion, food, luxury
Netherlands	High ecommerce penetration, efficient logistics	Fashion, lifestyle
Austria/Switzerland	Proximity, high purchasing power	Food, fashion, design
Poland	Fast-growing market, widespread COD	Fashion, beauty, electronics

Carrier comparison for international shipping

Not all carriers are equal for international shipments. Each operator has specific strengths for certain routes and shipment types.

Main carriers for export from Italy

DHL Express

Strength: global network and express services Best for: express shipments, documents, urgent packages, non-EU Times: with DHL Express Worldwide, delivery by the end of the next business day after pickup or on the first available day, depending on the route Costs: express-service pricing, plus the surcharges DHL publishes (fuel, remote areas, peak season) Features: integrated customs management, shipment tracking, Saturday delivery as an optional service to the main destinations in more than 70 countries

UPS

Strength: network in Europe and North America Best for: medium-to-high value B2B and B2C shipments Times: standard and express services, with transit times to be checked route by route on the UPS website Costs: quote-based, depending on contract, chargeable weight, and zone Features: Access Points for alternative pickup/delivery

FedEx

Strength: network to North America and Asia Best for: non-EU shipments, large volumes Times: to be checked route by route on the FedEx website Costs: quote-based, depending on contract, chargeable weight, and zone Features: rates by volume and destination, customs management

GLS Europe

Strength: road service across Europe Best for: standard EU shipments, medium and high volumes Times: 48 hours to Germany, France, Austria, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, 72/96 hours to more distant European countries (GLS Italy's Parcel service) Costs: quote-based, as GLS states that its rates are personalized Features: door-to-door delivery in 36 European countries, parcels up to 40 kg

BRT International

Strength: among the top three parcel operators in Italy according to AGCOM, Italy's communications authority, with the international network of the Geopost group Best for: shipments from Italy to neighboring EU countries Times: day-definite deliveries in Europe; on its international services page, BRT states delivery in 2-4 days in 98% of the postcodes it serves Costs: quote-based Features: full tracking from the country of departure to the country of destination, and local partners for the last mile, according to BRT

Poste Italiane / Poste Delivery Business International

Strength: Italy's postal service, with three service levels to more than 200 countries, Standard for non-urgent shipments, Plus for ecommerce, and Express Best for: light packages, economy shipments, books Times: with Standard, indicative transit times of 5 days; with Express, 1-2 business days to the main EU countries Costs: quote-based; with Plus, no fuel surcharge and billing on actual weight for single parcels up to 30 kg Features: customs clearance included with Express; international returns available as an option

How to compare costs

Carriers' price lists for international shipping are only the starting point. Actual rates depend on the contract, volumes, chargeable weight, and destination zone, and surcharges change often. To compare carriers, ask each one for a quote based on the same shipping profile, meaning your main countries, typical weights and sizes, monthly volumes, and extra services, then compare the cost per delivered parcel, surcharges included.

Delivery times by destination

EU countries

These are the indicative transit times of GLS Italy's road service, in business days, from its November 2025 map. Express services are faster. DHL Express Worldwide delivers by the end of the next business day after pickup or on the first available day, depending on the route, and Poste Delivery Business International Express states 1-2 business days to the main EU countries.

GLS indicative time	EU countries
2 business days	France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland
3 business days	Portugal, Ireland, Denmark, southern Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
4 business days	Croatia, central and northern Sweden, Balearic Islands, Malta
More than 4 business days	Finland, Greece, Cyprus

Non-EU European countries

Country	GLS indicative time	Customs	Notes
United Kingdom	3 business days	Yes (post-Brexit)	Customs documentation mandatory
Switzerland	2 business days	Yes	Fast clearance with express carriers
Norway	4 business days in most of the country	Yes	Import limits for some categories

These are one carrier's indicative times, not guarantees. They change with the time of year and the starting point, and for non-EU countries customs can lengthen them.

Customs and documentation: EU vs non-EU

Intra-EU shipments: no customs

For shipments within the European Union, there are no customs controls. Goods circulate freely. However, the merchant must correctly manage:

VAT: since July 1, 2021, once your B2C distance sales of goods to all other EU countries combined exceed €10,000 a year, the VAT of the customer's country applies. The optional One Stop Shop (OSS) lets you declare and pay it through a single portal instead of registering in each country
Labeling: products must comply with the destination country's labeling regulations (language, mandatory information)
Regulated products: some categories (cosmetics, food, supplements) have specific requirements that vary by country

Non-EU shipments: required documentation

For shipments to non-EU countries (United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway), customs documentation is mandatory:

Required documents:

Commercial invoice: value of goods, detailed description, HS code (Harmonized System), country of origin
Packing list: detailed contents list per package
Proof of preferential origin: needed to claim the reduced or zero duty provided for by a trade agreement, in the form the agreement requires (for the United Kingdom, a statement on origin made out by the exporter)
Customs declaration: completed by the carrier or freight forwarder

HS codes (Harmonized System): Every product must have an HS code identifying the product category for customs purposes. Using the correct code is fundamental for determining applicable duties and avoiding customs delays.

Focus: shipping to the United Kingdom post-Brexit

The UK is a fundamental market for Italian brands. After Brexit, the rules changed:

Duties: the TCA (Trade and Cooperation Agreement) provides for zero duties on products that meet the rules of origin. Origin is declared with a statement on origin made out by the exporter on the invoice. Any exporter can make one out for products worth up to €6,000 in total, while above that amount the exporter must be registered in the Registered Exporter System (REX)
VAT: for consignments up to £135 in value (per consignment, not per item), the seller charges UK VAT at the point of sale and must register for UK VAT to do so. Above £135, normal import rules apply, with VAT and any duties due, and the seller can pay them (the DDP model, Delivered Duty Paid) to spare the customer any surprises
Times: customs can lengthen delivery; GLS Italy states 3 business days as its indicative time
Documentation: commercial invoice, HS code, declared value, sender's EORI number (Economic Operators Registration and Identification)

Focus: shipping to Switzerland

Switzerland is not in the EU but has agreements with the European Union that simplify trade:

Duties: Switzerland abolished its duties on industrial products (chapters 25-97 of the customs tariff) on January 1, 2024; they remain on agricultural and food products
Swiss VAT: 8.1% (normal rate). Import VAT of up to CHF 5 is not collected, which at the normal rate means goods with an assessment basis of up to CHF 62
Carriers: DHL, UPS, and FedEx handle clearance automatically. With other carriers, ask how they handle customs
Times: GLS Italy states 2 business days as its indicative time, which customs can lengthen

Strategies for optimizing international shipping

1. Multi-carrier system by destination

No single carrier is perfect for all destinations. Choose the carrier destination by destination, with clear rules based on these criteria.

Destination country
Package weight and dimensions
Shipment urgency
Product type (fragile, high value)
Cost/benefit for the specific route

An example configuration.

Destination	Standard Carrier	Express Carrier	Reason
Germany, France, Austria	GLS Europe	DHL Express	GLS by road, indicative 2 business days, DHL for urgent shipments
Spain, Portugal	GLS Europe	DHL Express	GLS by road, indicative 2-3 business days, DHL for urgent shipments
UK	DHL Express	DHL Express	Integrated customs management
Scandinavia	GLS Europe	UPS	GLS for economy, UPS for express
Eastern Europe	GLS Europe	DHL Express	GLS by road, DHL for urgent shipments
Switzerland	DHL Express	DHL Express	Automatic clearance

The carriers in the table are market examples. Ask whoever ships for you which carriers it uses for each destination.

2. Volume-negotiated rates

Published carrier rates are the starting point, not the final price. With regular volumes you can negotiate better terms, and the discount depends on volumes, destinations, and parcel profile.

A logistics partner that aggregates volumes from multiple merchants can obtain better rates than an individual merchant would get alone. How much of this advantage reaches you depends on the contract, and you see it by comparing quotes.

3. Volumetric weight vs actual weight

Many international carriers bill on the chargeable weight, meaning the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight. The formula is:

Volumetric weight = (Length x Width x Height in cm) / carrier's divisor

The carrier specifies the divisor in its terms and conditions or in your contract. Not every service works this way, and Poste Delivery Business International Plus, for example, bills single parcels up to 30 kg on actual weight. A light but bulky package (e.g., a pillow) can cost as much as a heavy package, and using the smallest possible box lowers the chargeable weight.

4. Pre-compiled labeling and documentation

For non-EU shipments, having pre-compiled and correct customs documentation avoids customs delays. A system that automatically generates commercial invoices, packing lists, and HS codes for each order saves time and prevents errors.

5. International returns management

International returns cost more than domestic ones, because the parcel makes another international trip. Strategies to contain them:

Even more detailed product pages for the foreign market (European vs local sizes)
Clear return policy in local language
Return collection points in the destination country (via partner carrier)
Refund without return for orders below an economic threshold

Hidden costs of international shipping

Beyond the carrier's base rate, international shipments carry additional costs that are often underestimated:

Fuel surcharge: a percentage of the base rate that the carrier updates often (DHL Express, for example, every week)
Remote area surcharge: for destinations that are hard to serve
Residential surcharge: for deliveries to private addresses (some carriers)
Peak season surcharge: some carriers add one in the peak months; DHL Express, for example, charges €0.30 per kg of chargeable weight on international shipments from Europe to Europe from October 1, 2026, to February 5, 2027
Customs duties (non-EU): variable by category and country
Import VAT (non-EU): destination country rate
Insurance: optional, for high-value shipments
Overweight/oversize: surcharges for non-standard packages

Carriers publish the amounts and rules of their surcharges on their websites, and these change during the year.

How Tissquad can help

Tissquad picks and packs your store's orders in its warehouse in Campania, in the Naples area, and ships them within Italy and abroad. In Italy we ship with GLS, BRT, Poste Italiane, and Amazon Shipping, abroad with GLS, FedEx, DHL, and UPS, and we choose the carrier based on weight, zone, and cost. If you need cash on delivery to other European countries, ask us, and in the quote we tell you whether and where we can do it.

To find out what shipping to your main countries would cost, request a quote with your shipping profile, meaning countries, weights, and volumes. You can also see how our shipping works and compare carriers.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to ship a package from Italy to Europe?

It depends on chargeable weight, destination, service, and contract, plus surcharges (fuel, remote areas, peak season). Public price lists are only the starting point, and for a serious comparison it is worth asking several carriers for a quote based on the same shipping profile (countries, weights, monthly volumes). Express services cost more but are faster, and DHL Express delivers by the next business day or on the first available day, depending on the route.

Do I need to pay customs duties for shipping within Europe?

No, within the European Union there are no customs duties. Goods circulate freely. For shipments to non-EU countries (United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway), customs duties and import VAT may apply. The TCA with the UK provides for zero duties on products that meet the rules of origin, with the origin declared by the exporter on the invoice, and Switzerland abolished its duties on industrial products in 2024.

How do I manage VAT for sales to other EU countries?

As long as your distance sales to consumers in all other EU countries stay within €10,000 a year, you can apply Italian VAT; above that, the VAT of the customer's country applies. To declare and pay it, you can use the optional One Stop Shop (OSS), which saves you from registering in each country. This guide is not tax advice, so have your tax advisor check your case.

Which carrier is best for international shipping from Italy?

There is no single best carrier. Express services such as DHL Express are the fastest and the most expensive. For Europe, GLS and BRT generally state two to four days for their road services, and Poste covers more than 200 countries with several service levels. The best approach is to use several carriers and choose one destination by destination. Read our complete carrier comparison.

Can I offer COD for international shipments?

It depends on the carrier and the country. On the page of its cash-on-delivery service, GLS Italy lists Spain, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Portugal as the European countries where it is available, and abroad it collects the amount only in cash, while cash on delivery does not appear on DHL Express's international service pages (as of October 2026). For other countries, ask the carrier.