Overview
- EU finance ministers agreed to scrap the de minimis exemption for parcels under €150 and to craft a simplified, temporary customs fee for introduction as soon as possible in 2026.
- Trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič urged a fast-track solution, saying a workable system could be ready in the first quarter of 2026 if political will holds.
- The fee level remains under negotiation, with the Commission’s earlier €2 flat proposal as a reference point and European Parliament approval and customs IT coordination still required.
- Officials cite 4.6 billion small parcels entering the EU last year—over 90% from China—and widespread undervaluation and safety non-compliance involving platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress.
- National moves are already emerging, including Romania’s €5 handling fee and France’s recent actions against Shein, raising concerns that uneven national measures could fragment the single market before an EU-wide fix is in place.