BRUSSELS (NNN-DPA) – The European Union is set to introduce a new handling fee on small packages imported from outside the bloc, negotiators from the European Parliament and member states said on Thursday.
The move aims to address the surge in low-value parcel deliveries from online shopping.
Under the terms of the agreement, the fee is to apply from November 1 to every product ordered online and imported into the EU, collected by national authorities. The European Commission is to determine the exact rate. The charge aims to cover the growing administrative costs associated with processing and inspecting small shipments.
The agreement still needs formal approval from the European Parliament and EU member states before it can become law.
The fee is set to complement planned customs duties. Currently, packages valued up to €150 ($173) can enter the EU duty-free. Starting in July, a temporary €3 charge will apply to each shipment under that threshold until a digital platform is launched — likely in 2028 — to make all imports liable for duties from the first euro.
The EU says abolishing the duty-free threshold will create a level playing field for all sellers, regardless of location. It remains unclear whether higher costs will be passed on to consumers or absorbed by producers or importers.
The new rules are expected to affect online retailers including Shein, Temu, AliExpress and Amazon. EU online shopping has driven a surge in low-value parcel shipments, with around 12 million daily deliveries in 2024, according to the European Commission.
In Germany alone, some 400,000 parcels from Shein and Temu are shipped daily, with more than 14 million people shopping on the platforms last year, according to the German Retail Federation (HDE).
Both companies have faced criticism over product quality, lack of oversight and unfair competition from politicians, trade representatives and consumer advocates.
–NNN-DPA