EU, fee for packages from Shein and Temu - Decision, how much will buyers pay from July 1, 2026?
The European Council has approved the measure for small parcels from platforms such as Shein and Temu, giving the "green light" to the introduction of a fee for parcels entering the European market. The decision abolishes the de minimis regime for parcels worth less than 150 euros, which will now be subject to a fee of 3 euros to circulate within the European Union.
The aim of the measure is to put a limit on the phenomenon of mass entry of millions of packages from Chinese e-commerce platforms, such as Shein and Temu.
"With the rapid growth of global e-commerce, EU customs rules need to keep pace with the times. Removing the outdated tax exemption for small parcels will help support EU businesses and eliminate methods used by unscrupulous traders. Now, we need to move forward decisively with comprehensive customs reform, which is a key piece of the puzzle to make the EU more competitive and safer," said European Commission officials.
The new tariffs will apply to all goods entering the EU once the Union Customs Data Centre becomes operational. Its operation is part of the overall reform of the customs framework, which is expected to be completed by 2028.
Ecofin approved the introduction of a temporary fixed tax of €3 on products worth less than €150 sent to European consumers. The tax will apply from 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2028, with the possibility of extension if necessary.
Once the new data center is operational, this temporary tax will be replaced by normal customs duties.
The final approval of the 3 euro fee is accompanied by variations depending on the category of products contained in the package. The method of calculating the duty depends on the tariff category of each item.
For example, if an order includes one silk blouse (Tariff Category 1) and two wool blouses (Tariff Category 2), the total amount of duties is 6 euros, 3 euros for each product category.
Therefore, a package with three or four different product categories can cost 9 or 12 euros, making cheap purchases from China less favorable.
From 2028, the temporary regime will be replaced by full customs duties, while the EU Customs Data Centre, a digital platform that will enable automated customs clearance at Union level, will become fully operational.
Meanwhile, the EU opened a formal investigation into Chinese online retailer Shein a day ago over illegal products and concerns about the platform's potentially problematic design, increasing scrutiny under the bloc's strict Digital Services Act.
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