Overview
- France will implement a flat-rate handling fee of a few euros per parcel on low-value imports from non-EU countries starting next year.
- The fee will be paid by e-commerce platforms, not consumers, and will fund customs checks and safety inspections at entry points.
- The policy aims to address the influx of low-value parcels, with 4.6 billion such packages entering the EU in 2024, 91% from China, including 800 million into France.
- French officials are lobbying for an EU-wide mechanism to prevent package flows circumventing national fees ahead of planned customs reforms in 2028.
- The Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises (CPME) has called for urgent action, citing the impact of cheap imports on local businesses.