Overview
- EU finance ministers are moving to scrap the duty exemption for parcels worth under €150, making small imports taxable across the bloc.
- A transitional system is being designed to start applying taxes and handling charges from early 2026 while longer-term customs reforms are finalized.
- Brussels plans to add a per-parcel processing fee on small packages, with the final amount not set after a €2 proposal in May.
- The acceleration targets a surge of low-cost shipments from China-based platforms such as Shein and Temu, which EU officials say distorts competition.
- France has pressed for the earliest 2026 rollout, and ministers are expected to consider the transitional measures for a vote on 12 December.