Entra en vigor nueva la tasa europea de dos euros a los pequeños envíos

The European Union has officially implemented a new two-euro fee for small electronic commerce shipments arriving in the bloc, as of November. This charge, deemed permanent, aims to fund the struggling customs agencies overwhelmed by a surge in international package deliveries, especially from Chinese platforms like Aliexpress, Temu or Shein.

In 2025, the EU received nearly 6,000 million packages annually, an avalanche that strained their operational and financial capacity. Inspections revealed that nearly 60% of the inspected items did not comply with European regulations, posing safety risks to consumers and unfair competition to local businesses. The new tax is expected to generate around 12,000 million euros per year, but it's likely the number of shipments will decrease.

Brussels hopes the fee will force e-commerce giants to change their business models by grouping orders. Small packages, around 4,500 out of 5,900 in 2025, are the biggest threat as they are mostly valued under 150 euros, making them the focus of customs control. The fee, in addition to the existing three-euro charge implemented since July, will apply to all shipments, but small packages face the highest impact.

The EU previously exempted packages under 150 euros from duties, a loophole exploited by e-commerce giants. Once the European Customs Authority is fully operational in 2028, the three-euro tax will be scrapped, and all packages will be subject to the appropriate duties.