On Wednesday, the EU took the first step toward limiting what it calls unfair competition from online retailers such as Shein, Temu, and AliExpress by introducing a €3 fee on imports of low-value goods from China that were previously brought into the bloc duty-free, reports UNN citing Reuters.
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This move is another blow for platforms that used customs exemptions to sell goods at ultra-low prices, fueling rapid growth and drawing complaints from retailers and politicians. The United States, their largest market, abolished its "de minimis" exemption for imports from China in May and for all imports at the end of August.
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The fees, effective July 1, will be charged per customs category in a shipment. A parcel containing three different types of goods will incur a total duty of €9, while a parcel containing several dresses or several toys will incur €3.
The exemption from duties on imports of low-value goods has been in place for several decades, with the current threshold of €150 introduced in 2008. However, the number of e-commerce parcels entering the European Union under this exemption has surged, reaching 5.8 billion in 2025 compared to 1.4 billion in 2022.
"In another trading world, this would have mattered a lot, but that world no longer exists. E-commerce, especially from China, has turned everything upside down," said European Parliament member Dirk Gotink, who leads the customs reform direction in the European Parliament, in an interview.
"The exemption was not used for its intended purpose and was abused on an industrial scale to create a competitive advantage at the expense of EU businesses," he noted.
Derek Lossing, an e-commerce and air cargo consultant who heads Cirrus Global Advisors, said he expects a 10-35% decline in e-commerce airfreight volumes into the EU within weeks of the fees taking effect, which will likely impact global airfreight volumes.
"The question is how effectively platforms can pivot to other markets," Lossing said. "When the US eliminated the de minimis fees, Europe became a really good alternative for platforms to shift to, but now there is no really obvious alternative to Europe."
Lossing noted that platforms may pressure suppliers to absorb some of the additional costs to limit price increases for consumers and protect profitability.
Shein is preparing for the changes by expanding warehouse space in Wrocław, Poland, and increasing the volume of bulk product deliveries to the EU.
The €3 fee is a temporary measure that is to be replaced by duties, category-specific tariffs from July 1, 2028, when the new EU Customs Service is expected to begin operations.
These fees will likely lead to higher consumer prices, as platforms will pass at least the additional costs on to consumers.
AliExpress, owned by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, said in a statement that product descriptions will display a note "Price includes duties and VAT" where applicable. For other goods, buyers will be shown detailed information on import fees before completing the purchase.
Amazon, which launched its ultra-cheap service Amazon Haul following the rapid growth of Temu and Shein, said that 97% of its deliveries to the EU last year were made from warehouses within the bloc. For goods shipped from outside the EU, buyers will also be shown import duties before placing an order, the statement said.