July 1 ended the EU’s customs exemption for low-value ecommerce goods, adding a €3 charge to parcels from outside the bloc and raising costs for purchases from platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress.
5.9 billion low-value parcels entered the EU last year, up from about 1.4 billion in 2022, driving complaints that overseas sellers enjoyed regulatory advantages over European retailers.
Brussels says the move targets the environmental burden of surging package volumes, throwaway fast fashion and Europe’s dependence on Asian production, while pushing Chinese marketplaces to rethink fulfilment strategies.
France has gone further, approving legislation that would fine ultra-fast-fashion operators and ban their advertising and influencer marketing, though the measure still needs final approval.
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Ending the €150 Exemption: The Impact of the EU’s €3 Customs Duty on Cross-Border E-commerce After July 2026
Overview
Starting July 1, 2026, the EU has abolished the 'de minimis' customs duty relief for low-value imports and introduced a new €3 customs duty per item. This change is part of a broader EU Customs Reform aimed at making competition fairer for EU businesses, protecting consumers from unsafe products, tackling customs fraud, and addressing environmental concerns linked to mass shipping and fast fashion. As a result, consumers will see higher prices on low-value goods from outside the EU, especially when combined with extra national taxes like Italy’s new €2 parcel tax, further increasing the total cost of cross-border online shopping.