BRUSSELS, Dec 12 (Reuters) - European Union finance ministers agreed on Friday to set a 3 euro ($3.52) custom duty on low-value parcels arriving in the bloc, part of an attempt to crack down on cheap
EU Sets €3 Duty on E-commerce Parcels Starting July 2026
BRUSSELS, Dec 12 (Reuters) - European Union finance ministers agreed on Friday to set a 3 euro ($3.52) customs duty on low-value parcels arriving in the bloc, part of efforts to crack down on cheap Chinese e-commerce imports such as from online retailers Shein and Temu.
The duty will apply from July 1, 2026, and will be in place until a permanent solution is found to eliminate the "de minimis" duties exemption for online purchases below 150 euros, the EU's Council of its 27 governments said in a statement.
The bloc was due to remove the exemption in 2028 as part of an overhaul of its customs system, but pressure to act faster has grown amid concerns about Chinese goods being dumped in Europe.
"This temporary measure responds to the fact that such parcels currently enter the EU duty free, leading to unfair competition for EU sellers, health and safety risks for consumers, high levels of fraud and environmental concerns," the Council said.
Online platforms like Shein, Temu, AliExpress and Amazon Haul send clothes, accessories and gadgets from Chinese factories directly to shoppers at rock-bottom prices.
Due to the customs waiver, the number of low-value e-commerce packages arriving in the bloc doubled last year to 4.6 billion, over 90% of them from China. Imports this year are set to be even higher.
The EU is also considering a separate handling fee, which the European Commission has proposed should be set at 2 euros per parcel. It is not clear when it would be imposed.
($1 = 0.8531 euros)
(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop and Inti Landauro. Editing by Bart Meijer and Mark Potter)
