€3 TARIFF ON SMALL PARCELS - WHAT CHANGES IN ONLINE PURCHASES FROM TEMU, SHEIN, FROM TODAY - Filenews 1/7
As of today (1 July), a temporary customs duty of €3 per item on small parcels worth up to €150 imported from third countries will be implemented in the European Union, with the aim of tackling unfair competition and strengthening security checks on e-commerce products.
The measure, which will be in force until 2028 when a complete overhaul of the European customs system is expected, mainly concerns purchases from popular Asian platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress, while it may also affect orders from other third countries, including the US and the UK, depending on the supplier.
How the tariff is applied
The duty of €3 is imposed per type of product in each package. This means that if an order includes different product categories, each category is charged separately.
For example, a package with a t-shirt and shoes will be charged with a total duty of €6, while if it includes multiple pieces of the same item, the charge remains at €3.
In other cases, a parcel with four different products may be charged €12, while larger orders with many items may lead to a significant increase in the final cost, before VAT is added.
Who does it concern and why is it applied?
The measure aims to greatly increase small electronic shipments from non-EU countries, which in recent years have skyrocketed to billions of parcels per year, with the majority coming from China.
According to the European Union, the previous zero customs duty regime for parcels up to €150 created conditions of unfair competition for European businesses, while limiting the possibility of effective product security and compliance controls.
At the same time, the authorities note that a large number of parcels entered the market with inaccurate value declarations or without adequate control, increasing the risk of non-compliant or dangerous products.
Implications for Consumers and Platforms
Consumers are expected to see an increase in the final cost of their online purchases, especially in low-value orders. An order of €20, for example, can exceed €25 or €30, depending on the number of different products.
In some cases, additional administration fees will be added in the future, which the EU is considering as part of the broader customs reform.
Platforms, for their part, will have the ability to either absorb the costs or pass them on to consumers. Already several large e-commerce providers operate through the IOSS system, which facilitates the collection of VAT and duties at the time of purchase.
Changes in the wider system
In parallel, the EU is proceeding with a deeper reform of the customs framework, with the aim of abolishing the €150 limit and creating a single digital control system by 2028.
Under the new framework, e-commerce platforms will be treated as 'presumptive importers', taking greater legal responsibility for the safety and compliance of the products they sell on the European market.
Goal: A fairer and safer market
According to the European authorities, the measure aims both to protect consumers and to ensure a level playing field for European businesses.
At the same time, it is expected to facilitate customs controls by limiting the volume of individual small packages and enhancing the detection of non-compliant products when entering the EU.
