EU's new levy on parcels kicks in

The European Union has introduced a two-euro handling fee on parcels originating from outside the 27-nation bloc, with the aim of reducing the influx of goods from China. This new levy, implemented just before the major shopping seasons of Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas, will be in addition to the existing three-euro fee on small parcels.

The fee will apply to each item in a package sent directly to consumers from outside the EU, regardless of the package's value. For instance, a package containing 10 T-shirts would incur a two-euro handling fee, while a package containing two hats and 10 T-shirts would have a four-euro fee. The EU insists that European consumers will not be required to pay the handling fee, but online retailers and sellers may choose to pass the cost onto buyers by including a two-euro charge before a sale.

The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) expressed concerns that some platforms might try to pass these additional costs onto consumers during the final stages of a purchase, which would be illegal under EU law requiring the full price to be disclosed upfront. The EU claims that nearly six billion small packages entered the bloc last year, with 93% of these cheap imports coming from China, often via Chinese platforms like AliExpress and Temu.

Brussels argues that this surge is creating significant strain on customs authorities, increasing their costs. The handling fee is intended to compensate for these additional efforts. Since the three-euro duty on small parcels was introduced in July, imports have dropped by approximately 64%, although officials caution that it is too early to draw definitive conclusions.

The two-euro handling fee is a permanent levy, while the three-euro duty on low-value packages remains a temporary measure until July 1, 2028, when standard customs tariffs will apply. The EU will need to reassess the handling fee's amount every two years to ensure it remains proportionate to the cost of customs operations within the bloc.