Brussels, Belgium. The European Union will begin applying a fixed €3 customs duty on low-value parcels imported from outside the bloc from Wednesday, July 1, 2026. The measure is intended to address the rapid growth in low-cost online orders from platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress.
Scope of the new duty
The measure will apply to parcels worth less than €150, which have until now been exempt from customs duties, although they remained subject to VAT and customs declarations. The exemption, known as the de minimis threshold, has allowed low-value goods to enter the EU duty-free.
Brussels says this system has created unfair competition for European retailers and made customs checks more difficult to enforce.
How the charge will be applied
The new customs duty will not be calculated simply per parcel. Instead, it will apply per different type of item, based on the product’s customs classification.
This means a package containing a T-shirt and a pair of shoes would face two €3 charges, while a parcel containing several T-shirts of the same type would normally attract one €3 charge.
Temporary measure pending broader reform
The duty is temporary and is expected to remain in place until the EU’s broader customs reform comes into force. The interim flat-rate charge is due to apply from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2028, although it may be extended if needed.
Once the data hub for e-commerce goods is operational, the temporary charge is expected to be replaced by the bloc’s normal customs tariffs.
Rise in low-value imports
The decision follows a sharp rise in low-value imports. According to EU figures, 4.6 billion low-value parcels entered the European market in 2024, while almost 5.9 billion such items were shipped directly from third countries to consumers in the EU in 2025.
The same data showed that 91 per cent of small shipments arriving in the EU in 2024 came from China, highlighting the scale of the trade flowing into Europe through major Asian platforms.
Safety and compliance concerns
Brussels says the issue is not only commercial. EU institutions have warned that the volume of parcels makes it difficult for customs and market surveillance authorities to check whether goods comply with European rules on safety, environmental standards and consumer protection.
Concerns have been raised in particular over toys, cosmetics, electronics, food supplements and personal protective equipment sold directly to households through non-EU online platforms.
