The European Union on Wednesday imposed a €3 ($3.40) levy on low-value e-commerce imports to prevent unfair competition from online retailers, especially Chinese companies like Shein, Teemu and AliExpress.
It comes as the number of such parcels entering the bloc under a previous exemption for goods worth less than €150 has increased dramatically from 1.4 billion in 2022 to 5.8 billion in 2025.
Why is import duty being imposed?
The European Commission, which regulates EU trade policy, says the move is aimed not only at preventing companies from exploiting previous exemptions to gain a competitive advantage, but also at stopping imports of goods that do not meet the bloc’s safety standards.
It also said that customs officials have been overwhelmed by the number of small packages arriving from abroad and are unable to properly carry out the required checks.
European businesses, for their part, have complained that although they are forced to adhere to strict EU standards, many products coming from abroad do not meet them.
During EU-wide inspections in 2025, it was found that more than 60% of imported goods such as toys, cosmetics and electronics contained prohibited ingredients or lacked safety documents.
In May, Chinese online retailer Teemu was fined €200 million for sending products such as children’s toys and small electronics to the EU that did not meet the bloc’s consumer safety standards.
What are the new import duties?
A €3 charge is to be made for each different class of item, meaning parcels containing three different types of goods will attract a €9 levy, while parcels containing multiple articles of the same type will attract a €3 levy.
However, from July 1, 2028, when the new EU customs authority is due to begin operations, tariffs varying by goods category will replace the flat rate imposed on Wednesday.
The US ended its “de minimis” exemptions for imports from China in May and for all imports at the end of August, and the UK is soon to follow.
Some EU countries have already imposed their own levies, but these will be superseded by the levy imposed by the bloc. For example, France has said it will eliminate its €2 fee now that the EU has imposed its own fee.
How will e-commerce platforms respond?
Chinese e-commerce platform Shein has already prepared for the change by expanding its warehouse space. in Wroclaw, Poland, and is expanding its bulk shipping to the EU.
Other online retailers are expected to take similar steps
Although the levy has to be paid by the exporters themselves, online platforms are expected to pass on at least some of the additional cost to consumers.
They may also put pressure on suppliers to lower their prices to ensure continued profitability.
The EU’s move will likely force platforms to look for other buyers for their goods, however, something made more difficult by the fact that the US, the other main market, is also now imposing a levy.
What else is planned to control imports?
The EU has also made it mandatory to provide reference details about low-value products imported from November 1 to help trace goods.
The bloc also intends to introduce additional handling charges from November to help customs officials deal with rising costs amid a surge in parcels.
What this fee will be has not been decided yet.
Edited by: Zack Crellin