Online shopping: EU proposes €2 fee on each small imported package

The European Commission proposed on Tuesday, May 20, imposing a €2 fee on every small package entering Europe, the vast majority of which comes from China.

"We're talking about €2 per package, paid by the platform," European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic told the European Parliament in Brussels. According to the European official, some 4.6 billion packages were imported into the EU last year.

The idea is specifically to target "low value" parcels, those worth less than €150, the threshold below which packages sent from a third country within the European Union escape customs taxes.

Customs services are overwhelmed by an ever-increasing influx of these small imported packages. The statistics concerning these products are staggering: some 4.6 billion shipments worth less than €150 entered the European market in 2024, or more than 145 every second. Of this total, 91% came from China.

The €2 fee would be used to finance customs checks, Commissioner Sefcovic explained. "That's why I wouldn't call these management fees a tax, but simply a way to offset their cost," he explained, praising the "enormous" workload of customs officials.

Especially since these controls are expected to be strengthened in the face of the influx of low-value packages sent from Asia, via platforms such as Shein or Temu . This influx is feared due to the increase in customs duties wanted by the United States, particularly on small packages from China.

This measure was notably demanded by France, which proposed at the end of April to charge "handling fees" for each small parcel entering Europe. In France alone, 800 million of these small parcels were delivered last year.

In February, the European Commission called for the removal of the customs duty exemption, which dates back to 2010, pointing out, in particular, the risks of importing "dangerous products" and the significant environmental impact of such volumes. Brussels also hopes that part of the revenue generated by the fees on these small packages will be allocated to the EU budget.

In addition to the impact of these products on the health and safety of European consumers, the Commission also denounces their impact on the environment and the distortions of competition with European traders, particularly SMEs, who comply with EU standards.