EU to Introduce €3 Duty on E-commerce Parcels, Targeting Cheap Imports from Asia

End Of The Duty-Free Loophole For Small Parcels

EU finance ministers agreed on Friday last week to introduce a flat €3 customs duty on low-value parcels arriving from outside the bloc. The measure will take effect on July 1, 2026, and is intended as a temporary solution until the EU fully abolishes the so-called de minimis exemption for online purchases below €150.

Under current rules, most small e-commerce orders enter the EU duty-free. According to the Council of the EU, this creates unfair competition for European sellers, while also increasing the risk of fraud and placing additional strain on customs authorities.

Chinese E-commerce Platforms In Focus

The new duty is expected to affect platforms such as Shein, Temu, AliExpress and Amazon Haul, which ship clothing, accessories, and consumer electronics directly from Chinese factories to European shoppers, often at very low prices.

The scale of these imports has grown rapidly. Last year, the number of low-value e-commerce parcels entering the EU doubled to 4.6 billion, with more than 90% originating from China. EU officials expect volumes to rise even further this year.

Consumer Safety, Fair Competition And Environmental Concerns

In its statement, the Council said the temporary duty responds to multiple concerns:

• unfair competition
• health and safety risks for consumers,
• high levels of fraud
• environmental impact of billions of individual parcel shipments

The EU had originally planned to remove the de minimis exemption in 2028 as part of a broader customs reform. However, growing political pressure over what officials describe as the “dumping” of cheap goods into the European market has accelerated the timeline.

Separately, the European Commission has proposed an additional €2 handling fee per parcel, though it remains unclear when or if this charge will be introduced.

For Europe’s e-commerce sector, the decision represents a major policy shift. From 2026 onwards, cross-border online shopping from non-EU sellers is set to become more expensive, with potential implications for pricing, logistics and consumer behaviour across the bloc.