European levy on non-EU parcels kicks in on Sunday in bid to curb China influx

The European Union will from Sunday slap a €2 (US$2.25) handling fee on packages from outside the 27-nation bloc in a bid to curb the influx from China.

The new levy – coming just weeks before the Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas season shopping rushes – will be on top of the EU’s €3 fee on small parcels.

The fee will apply to each type of item in a package sent directly to consumers from outside the EU regardless of the parcel’s value.

For example, if there are 10 T-shirts in a package, the handling fee will be €2. But if a package contains two hats and 10 T-shirts, the fee will be €4.

The handling fee comes on top of the €3 duty imposed in July on small packages worth less than €150.

European consumers are not expected to pay the handling fee, insists the EU, but online retailers and sellers can add a two-euro charge before a sale.

The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) said it was “concerned that some platforms may try to pass these new costs on to consumers at the final stages of the purchase”.

It added: “That would be illegal under EU law, which requires the full price to be shown upfront.”

Nearly six billion small packages entered the EU last year, according to official data.

Some 93 per cent of the cheap packages that arrived in Europe came from China, usually via popular Asian platforms such as AliExpress and Temu.

Brussels says this is putting increasing strain on customs authorities, thereby raising their costs, too. The handling fee will compensate their efforts.

Since the EU imposed the €3 duty on small parcels in July, imports have fallen by around 64 per cent – although officials warn it is too early to draw firm conclusions.

Europe has also expressed concern about “unsafe” non-EU products such as toys that violate the bloc’s rules arriving via Chinese e-commerce platforms.

“For years customs have been asked to take on illegal imports with limited resources while small parcels have multiplied out of control,” BEUC’s Agustin Reyna said.

The €2 handling fee is a permanent levy but the €3 duty on low-value packages is a temporary measure in place until July 1, 2028.

From that date onwards, standard, product-specific customs tariffs will apply.

The EU will have to assess the handling fee’s amount every two years to ensure it remains proportional to the cost of customs operations in the bloc.

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Temu, meanwhile, has vowed to better tackle the sale of illegal products, the EU said on Monday, following a €200 million fine in May.

The European Commission said it has accepted Temu’s action plan that includes measures to remedy its violation of the bloc’s digital rules.

The European Union fined Temu for allowing the sale of illegal products, such as dangerous baby toys.

Temu promised to carry out an analysis of the risks, keep a close eye on measures to prevent the sale of illegal products on its platform – and step up its efforts if needed.

Temu will also examine how its recommender systems “may amplify the spread of illegal goods”, the commission, the EU’s digital regulator, said.

The company welcomed the approval of its action plan.

“We appreciate the commission’s constructive engagement with us throughout the process,” Temu said.

The plan “stands as a clear testament to Temu’s commitment to investing in robust compliance infrastructure to ensure a safe, trustworthy shopping environment for all EU users”, it added in a statement.