EU slaps €3 duty on low-value imported packages
Key takeaways
- The EU has moved to curb what it sees as unfair competition from mostly Chinese online retailers by imposing its levy.
- This comes as the number of such parcels entering the bloc under a previous exemption for goods valued under €150 rose dramatically from 1.4 billion in 2022 to 5.8 billion in 2025.
- It also says that customs authorities have been overwhelmed by the number of small packages coming from overseas and were unable to carry out requisite checks properly.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The EU has moved to curb what it sees as unfair competition from mostly Chinese online retailers by imposing its levy. It follows a similar move from the US.
https://p.dw.com/p/5GLpa The EU is moving to curb the flood of cheap imports, mostly from China Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Advertisement The EU on Wednesday imposed a €3 ($3.40) levy on low-value e-commerce imports in a move to curb what it sees as unfair competition from online retailers, notably Chinese firms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress.
This comes as the number of such parcels entering the bloc under a previous exemption for goods valued under €150 rose dramatically from 1.4 billion in 2022 to 5.8 billion in 2025.