EU introduces €3 customs charge on small parcels to curb cheap Chinese imports | International trade

The European Commission has said it hopes to prevent the “desertification” of Europe’s high streets as it prepares to impose tariffs on small parcels to curb cheap Chinese imports.

As part of the “de minimis” exemption, consumers were able to buy items worth up to €150 (£129), including fast fashion, cosmetics and toys, without any customs fees; this was a tariff reduction meaning “negligible”.

From Wednesday, small packages below that value will be subject to a new customs fee of €3, and officials hope the end of de minimis will slow the rapid rise in imports from China.

The number of low-value packages arriving in the bloc has more than quadrupled, from 1.3 billion in 2022 to 5.9 billion in 2025, they said on Monday. Around 90% of packages come from China, with online competition including from Shein and Temu platforms hitting European retailers hard.

Online shopping is “contributing to the decline of traditional retail and the desertification of cities, impacting local businesses and community life,” a senior official said on Monday.

Last year, civil society consumer groups warned that EU cities and towns were facing “an avalanche of cheap imports from Temu, Shein and other third-country e-commerce platforms” that threatened to devastate Europe’s economy. forcing businesses to close.

EU justice commissioner Michael McGrath also stated that they were “shocked” by the danger of some substances entering the EU via de minimis.

EU research released on Monday showed 60% of online products imported from outside the bloc do not comply with EU law, potentially endangering consumers.

Cosmetics and toys revealed the most safety concerns; 65% of imports in both categories do not meet EU standards.

Online shoppers who opted for non-EU supplements were also putting themselves at risk; 63% of these products failed stringent health and public safety tests.

Professional personal protective equipment from outside the block, from hard hats to reinforced shoes, was also a high-risk purchase; 60% did not comply with EU law.

Last month, EU regulators fined Temu 200 million euros for failing to stop the sale of illegal and dangerous products.

EU officials hope the 3-euro tax will make some consumers think twice, especially when buying very low-value items. They also believe that removing the threshold for “de minimis” duty-free packages would have a chilling effect on retailers outside the EU, as they would be forced to submit sometimes complex customs declarations for all packages.

But the real hope is to restore a level playing field for Europe’s small businesses and retailers.

Shein is currently considering restructuring its business model. It opened pop-up stores in Hungary and last year tried to open its first permanent store in Paris, but it closed after a backlash. Had a grand opening in December distribution center in Poland This may allow him to avoid taxes.

In the UK, the Treasury said last week it would start charging import duties on small parcels worth less than £135 from October 2028; This was earlier than the original date of March 2029, but still years later than British retailers had hoped.

Temu and Shein have been reached for comment.