EU's small parcel tax triggers 40% plunge in Chinese imports
Reuters file photo.
A €3 customs duty has dramatically reshaped Europe's online shopping landscape in just one month.
Since July 1, the European Union has imposed a flat €3 customs fee on parcels valued under €150—a move that has already slashed imports from Chinese platforms by 30% to 40%, according to French customs data cited by the economy ministry.
The measure targets the flood of low-cost goods that have long poured into European letterboxes from Shein, Temu, and AliExpress. What Brussels once allowed duty-free is now subject to a per-category charge, and the impact has been swift:
Temu's sales volume dropped 50% between June and July
AliExpress fell 37%
Shein, with a new Polish warehouse planned for late 2025, fared better at -15%
Why Europe Pulled the Trigger
The EU faced a staggering 5.9 billion low-value items entering its borders in 2025—over 16 million parcels daily. Beyond the sheer volume, regulators argued that foreign platforms enjoyed an unfair advantage over European retailers bound by stricter import rules.
Safety was another driving factor. A 2025 EU survey found that more than 60% of inspected low-value products failed to meet European requirements or safety standards. The new duties give customs authorities better tools to flag risky shipments.
A Temporary Fix with Long-Term Questions
The €3 levy isn't permanent—it's designed to bridge the gap until a broader customs overhaul in 2028. An additional fee for parcel handling may come as early as November.
But the real test lies ahead. As Shein's warehouse plans suggest, companies can sidestep border duties by moving operations inside the EU. A €3 charge that reshaped buying habits in weeks could also be absorbed, spread across product categories, or passed back to consumers.
Brussels has proven it can slow the flow. Whether it can truly change where these goods originate remains an open question for the next two years. (Source: Euronews)
