Until now, thanks to this rule, consumers have been able to purchase goods worth up to €150 duty-free, including mass-market clothing, cosmetics, and toys. However, according to The Guardian, starting Wednesday, a new customs fee of €3 will apply to these items. Authorities hope that ending this exemption will slow the rapid growth of imports from China.
On Monday, officials reported that the number of low-value packages entering the EU has more than quadrupled—from 1.3 billion in 2022 to 5.9 billion in 2025. About 90% of the packages come from China, and competition from online platforms such as Shein and Temu has dealt a severe blow to European retailers, the article states.
According to a senior EU official, the growth of e-commerce “has contributed to the decline of traditional retail and the depopulation of cities, negatively affecting local employment and community life.”
An EU study cited in the article found that 60% of goods purchased online and imported from countries outside the EU do not comply with European legislation, potentially posing a threat to consumers. Last month, European regulators fined Temu €200 million for failing to prevent the sale of illegal and dangerous goods.
According to The Guardian, the new customs duties will also apply in Northern Ireland under the trade agreements reached after Brexit, though all revenue from them will be transferred to the UK treasury. In the UK itself, the Ministry of Finance announced that starting in October 2028, it will begin collecting import duties on small packages valued at less than £135 (€156.6). This is earlier than the originally planned date of March 2029, but still significantly later than British retailers had anticipated, the article states.
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