Overview
- EU finance ministers approved removing the sub‑€150 duty exemption with a transitional start targeted for Q1 2026, a move championed by France and pending formal adoption on December 12.
- The plan will be paired with per‑parcel handling fees to fund checks, with a Commission proposal of €2 and application expected by late 2026 subject to agreement.
- The crackdown targets massive flows of low‑value purchases on platforms such as Shein and Temu that have been linked to non‑compliance with EU rules.
- EU figures cite about 4.6 billion such parcels in 2024—roughly 145 per second—with 91% originating from China, overwhelming customs capacity.
- Tariff calculation details remain unsettled, with the Commission favoring a flat rate and France pushing a fixed charge such as €5 per package.