The European Union introduced a temporary €3 customs duty on low-value e-commerce parcels on Wednesday, ending a long-standing exemption that allowed many goods bought from platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress to enter the bloc without import duties.
The measure applies to parcels worth up to €150 sent from outside the EU, mainly through online shopping platforms. It is aimed at low-cost cross-border orders that have grown sharply in recent years, especially from China.
The European Commission said the change is designed to create fairer competition for EU businesses, improve consumer protection, reduce customs fraud and address the environmental impact of mass shipping. The Commission said many low-value parcels entering the EU are undervalued, falsely declared or contain products that do not meet EU safety standards.
Reuters reported that the number of e-commerce parcels entering the EU under the exemption rose to 5.8 billion in 2025, up from 1.4 billion in 2022. The surge has put pressure on customs authorities and fuelled complaints from European retailers, who say foreign platforms have benefited from a cost advantage.
The €3 duty will not necessarily apply once per parcel. It will be charged according to customs classification. A parcel containing several different types of goods could face several charges, while multiple items in the same tariff category may be charged once.
The Council of the EU said the temporary measure applies to non-EU sellers registered in the EU’s import one-stop shop system for value-added tax, which covers most e-commerce flows into the bloc. The duty is separate from a proposed handling fee that remains under discussion as part of wider customs reform.
The change could raise prices for some shoppers. Reuters reported that platforms may pass at least part of the additional cost to consumers, while some retailers are expected to adjust supply chains, expand EU warehouse capacity or change how import charges are shown at checkout.
AliExpress said customers would see clearer information on duties and VAT where applicable. Amazon said most of its EU shipments are already fulfilled from warehouses inside the bloc. Reuters said Shein has been preparing for the measure by expanding warehouse space in Poland.
The €3 duty is temporary and is due to remain in place until July 1, 2028. After that, the EU plans to replace it with normal product-specific customs duties under a broader customs reform.
