Two Key Developments Impacting Global & EU Cross-Border Movements
As of 2 March 2026, UKP Worldwide is actively monitoring two significant developments creating disruption across international supply chains.
The first is ongoing Middle East airspace closures affecting global air cargo capacity, and the second is France’s newly introduced mandatory €2 handling fee and related customs declaration changes.
Further updates are expected as both situations continue to evolve.
Middle East Airspace Closures – Ongoing Disruption
Following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February and the subsequent escalation, widespread airspace shutdowns and heightened military activity have resulted in the grounding of nearly all commercial aviation across key Gulf hubs.
Full closures currently include Bahrain, Kuwait, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Oman, and Qatar, while partial restrictions affect Jordan, the UAE (with limited departures from Dubai and Abu Dhabi yesterday), southern Syria corridors, and Saudi Arabia.
At the time of writing, no confirmed official reopening timelines have been issued, although further clarity may emerge later today.
Several major international carriers have suspended or significantly reduced operations across affected routes, including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, United Airlines, and Turkish Airlines.
The disruption is generating measurable supply chain consequences, with an estimated 20 to 30 percent reduction in Asia–Europe and Gulf air cargo capacity, the loss of both belly-hold and dedicated freighter lift, and the need for rerouting via alternative corridors, which increases flight times and fuel burn. Immediate upward pressure on spot market airfreight rates is being observed.
Maritime movements through the Strait of Hormuz are also slowing if not halting, with major ocean carriers such as Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, and Ocean Network Express issuing advisories regarding operational risk and potential delays.
Continued volatility across both air and sea corridors should be expected in the near term.
France Introduces Mandatory €2 Handling Fee (2026 Budget)
Separately, the French Government has implemented a mandatory €2 handling fee per item line for consignments valued at €150 or less cleared under H7, the simplified declaration procedure.
During implementation, French Customs temporarily blocked low-value clearances via H1 declarations, and reports from brokers indicate system instability within H7 processing channels during early rollout stages.
The H1 route for low-value goods is not currently expected to remain available, pending further official confirmation, while H7 simplified declarations continue to apply.
The €2 fee is charged per item line rather than per parcel.
IOSS holders must ensure registration where applicable and remit collected fees directly to French authorities. For non-IOSS shipments, the fee is collected from the receiver or recharged to the shipper.
This structural change materially impacts pricing models for low-value EU e-commerce shipments, particularly for consignments with a high number of individual items.
UKP Worldwide Position
UKP Worldwide is working closely with French Customs brokers and monitoring system performance and clearance stability.
For air services, the fee is applied in line with agreed billing terms, with DAP shipments billed to the receiver and DDP shipments to the shipper. Direct injections cleared outside France are not affected. Postal network solutions will continue to collect the fee from receivers in accordance with VAT processes.
We continue to assess both cost exposure and compliance risk across affected flows.
Immediate Considerations for Shippers
Businesses moving goods through the Middle East corridor or into France should prepare for continued air capacity volatility and rate pressure, review EU low-value pricing models and IOSS status, assess item-line structuring to mitigate cost exposure, and plan for potential delays and congestion.
Further updates will be issued as clarity develops across both situations.
UKP Worldwide – Ensuring compliant, resilient cross-border trade in volatile conditions.