The European Union agreed on Thursday Removal of exemption from customs duties That applies to Shipments worth less than €150 From third countries. This measure seeks to stop the flow of small parcels arriving, especially from China, through online companies such as Temu, Shein or AliExpess by making them pay customs duties regardless of their cost.
Although the measure will enter into full force in 2028, the agreement approved by the Ministers of Economy and Finance plans to work on a transitional mechanism that allows… Starting to collect customs duties already at the beginning of 2026 Because they consider the problem so urgent that they cannot wait two years to act.
In accordance with current regulations (until the newly adopted regulation comes into force), packages are purchased connected From a non-EU country are tax-free as long as they remain below the €150 threshold. “Canceling the aforementioned threshold means canceling customs duties Payment must be made from the first Euro on all goods entering the European UnionDanish Finance Minister Stephanie Loos, whose country holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union this semester, said.
The goal of ending the exemption, which dates back to 1983, is: Stop fraudulent practicesSuch as dividing shipments into smaller packages to avoid paying customs duties Ensuring fairer competition for European manufacturers Compared to low-cost products that often do not comply with European regulations.
91% of “low cost” shipments come from China
the Shipments worth less than €150 Aid to the European Union has more than tripled in two years, rising from €1.2 billion in 2022 to €4.6 billion in 2024, 91% of which comes from China, according to European Commission data. The community executive links this increase to the “exponential growth” of Chinese online companies such as Temu or Shein, which have gained millions of consumers in the European Union thanks to “the proliferation of online advertising, low prices, and super-fast shipping.”
The massive arrival of direct-to-consumer packages makes it difficult for customs authorities to control millions of daily shipments, increasing the risk of counterfeit products entering. Or that do not comply with European safety standards, in addition to the environmental impact associated with their transportation.
At the same time, it distorts competition Preference for online businesses from outside the EU Compared to European manufacturerswho have to adhere to Community regulations and pay customs duties when imported in large quantities. For example, intellectual property infringements by third parties cause losses equivalent to 5% of annual revenues in the European textile and cosmetics industries, which rises to almost 9% in the toys industry, according to the Commission.
“This change will create Greater equality of circumstances The Danish minister said that the reforms seek in particular to stop the “huge arrival” of this type of parcel from Asia, between European companies that pay customs duties on all their exports and companies from outside the European Union that directly sell low-value goods without paying for them.
The agreement guarantees “fair competition”
For her part, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the approval of member states and said it was “an essential step to better manage the increase in small packages, especially from China.”
The president noted that the agreement guarantees “fair competition and the strictest application of regulations and… Greater consumer protection throughout the European Union. On the other hand, Brussels has proposed in a separate initiative a fee of 2 euros for the management of each parcel arriving at EU customs, which could also come into force in 2026.
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