Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on December 12, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleEU finance ministers will impose a €3 duty on low-value e-commerce parcels from July 2026 to address unfair competition and fraud concerns.
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)
Customs duty is a tax imposed on goods when they are transported across international borders. It is typically based on the value of the goods and is used to regulate trade and protect domestic industries.
Low-value parcels refer to shipments of goods that fall below a certain monetary threshold, which in the EU is currently set at 150 euros. These parcels often benefit from reduced or waived customs duties.
The 'de minimis' exemption allows low-value goods to enter a country without incurring customs duties. In the EU, this exemption is being reconsidered due to concerns over unfair competition and market impact.
E-commerce refers to the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet. It encompasses a wide range of online transactions, including retail, wholesale, and consumer-to-consumer sales.
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