The European Union is working on a proposal to introduce import duties on cheap goods purchased online outside the bloc. This step will be aimed primarily at Chinese retailers such as Temu, AliExpress and Shein, UNN reports with reference to Bloomberg.
Details
Currently, the EU has a duty-free threshold for online purchases of €150 ($161), which is intended for small gifts or personal packages, but it has caused a surge in imports of low-cost goods from these platforms.
The sources say that the proposal will be aimed at stopping this flow and will apply to all e-commerce platforms outside the EU.
It is not yet known whether there is a consensus among EU member states to take appropriate measures. But this adds momentum to the growing protectionism against Chinese companies, as their cheaper goods threaten local producers. In particular, this month the EU will introduce temporary tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles at 38%.
Recall
The EU has temporarily agreed to duty-free trade for Ukraine until June 2025, but with the possibility of imposing restrictions on sensitive agricultural products such as poultry, eggs, sugar, oats, cereals, corn, and honey if imports exceed the average level from July 2021 to December 2023.