Starting next year, the European Union will introduce increased fees on small packages, targeting the surge of parcels primarily arriving from China.
EU finance ministers reached an agreement on Friday to implement a temporary €3 ($3.52) fee per parcel beginning in July, transitioning to permanent customs duties two years later. This initiative aims to address the rapid growth of packages from Chinese retailers like Shein and Temu, which have disrupted European markets.
Recently, ministers also decided to abolish a regulation that allowed goods under €150 to enter the EU without incurring customs duties.
While the new regulations will not take effect until 2028, once a new EU customs data hub is operational, France advocated for this temporary fee structure ahead of the final integration.
“We want a more equitable playing field,” stated Danish Economy Minister Stephanie Lose, highlighting that duty-free imports present challenges to European businesses, especially with her country currently holding the rotating presidency of the EU.
From 2023 to 2024, the volume of e-commerce packages from China valued under €150 more than doubled, soaring from 1.9 billion to 4.2 billion. This surge accounted for an astonishing 91 percent of all such packages entering the EU in 2024, according to EU statistics.
“We are witnessing an influx of low-quality products flooding our market, products that fail to meet quality or environmental standards, and that create cheap competition,” remarked German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil. “Thus, it is vital that we engage at the EU level to implement these measures swiftly.”
France specifically aimed at fast-fashion giant Shein after it faced backlash for selling inappropriate items, including childlike dolls and weapons on its platform. The French government mandated the suspension of certain online sales and has supported an EU investigation into the company.
“These shipments represent unfair competition against traditional retailers that pay taxes,” asserted French Finance Minister Roland Lescure prior to the decision. He urged an end to customs exemptions that primarily benefit Chinese imports, advocating for a consolidated tax approach on small packages.
