Temu and Shein in the viewfinder. European Union finance ministers approved on Thursday the removal of the exemption from customs duties on parcels imported into Europe with a value of less than 150 euros.
The EU hopes to be able to implement this measure, requested in particular by France, from the first quarter of 2026, and which aims to combat the influx of Chinese products ordered on platforms such as Temu or Shein that do not respect European standards.
This measure was proposed in February by the European Commission, and it was initially expected to come into force in mid-2028, aligning with the reform of the customs union, a vast harmonization and data sharing project between member states.
But the States and the Commission want to go much faster and implement it from the first quarter of 2026, via a transitional system which should be adopted at the next meeting of ministers, on December 12. “France has taken the initiative to react to the small parcel phenomenon. It paid off today,” rejoiced French Minister of the Economy Roland Lescure, in a statement to AFP.
“A big step for economic sovereignty”
“This is a key step in protecting European consumers and the internal market by fighting more effectively against dangerous products that do not comply with our European regulations. We have taken a big step for the economic sovereignty of the European Union,” he added.
This taxation of small parcels should also be accompanied by the introduction of processing fees on each small parcel entering the EU, the majority purchased via platforms of Chinese origin such as Shein or Temu.
The amount of these processing fees has not yet been set, but Brussels proposed two euros per package in May. The EU hopes to be able to apply these fees from the end of 2026.