Filenews 14 November 2025
European Union finance ministers have approved measures to curb the growing influx of small parcels from third countries, mainly targeting platforms such as Temu and Shein. These parcels, which are currently not subject to customs duties, are considered by Brussels to be a source of unfair competition for EU industry.
According to the Finance Ministers of the 27 meeting on Thursday in Brussels, "this is a problem that leads to unfair competition for EU sellers and raises environmental concerns".
In addition, the EU is discussing imposing a tariff of around €2 for each small parcel arriving from third countries. Stephanie Lose, Denmark's finance minister, said: "I am very pleased that we have reached an agreement on the abolition of the €150 tariff cap. We ensure that tariffs are paid from the first euro, creating a level playing field for European businesses and limiting the influx of low-cost goods. We also agreed on the need to work on a temporary solution as soon as possible in 2026."
As a long-term measure, EU finance ministers decided to remove the rule allowing duty-free entry of goods under €150. With this change, tariffs will apply to all imported goods, aligning the system with VAT rules. The new rule will apply once the EU Customs Data Hub, a centralised platform to strengthen controls, is up and running, which is expected to be completed in 2028.
Up to 65% of small parcels entering the EU are devalued to avoid tariffs, while with 2024 figures, 91% of e-commerce shipments worth less than €150 come from China.
Due to the urgency situation, the Council committed to work on a temporary solution in 2026, before the completion of the customs data hub. Work on the development of the solution will continue in the coming weeks, while negotiations on the tax-uniform are expected to be completed by the end of the year, with the aim of implementing the measure in 2026.
CNA
