A new EU-wide handling fee will be imposed on goods contained in small parcels entering European Union countries. This follows an agreement on the reform of the EU Customs Code reached today by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, representing the member states. The move will particularly affect Chinese online retailers such as Shein and Temu. The fee amount will be set by the European Commission, and member states will begin collecting it no later than November 1, 2026, the Council of the EU reported.
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EU plans major customs overhaul: new fees target surge in small packages
“Today’s agreement represents the biggest reform since the creation of the customs union in 1968,” said Cypriot Finance Minister Makis Keravnos, whose country currently holds the EU presidency. “The new EU Customs Code will allow us to address the numerous challenges posed by the new geopolitical reality while ensuring economic security,” he added.
The handling fee is intended to cover the additional costs of handling the ever-increasing number of individual packages. This fee will be paid by the same entity responsible for paying other customs duties on the same package to prevent the costs from being passed on to consumers, according to a statement from the European Parliament.
An information system will need to be set up to collect the fee. The European Commission should review the fee amount every two years. It is not yet clear how high the fee should be. The EU executive has previously mentioned two euros.
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EU tightens grip on e-commerce: new customs authority and tougher penalties incoming
The reform also establishes a new EU Customs Authority. As revealed by Wednesday’s vote, it will be headquartered in Lille, France, and is expected to become fully operational soon. The new authority will be tasked primarily with coordinating and supporting the activities of national customs authorities to ensure consistency in their operations across the European Union.
“Systematic and repeated non-compliance with the rules will lead to stricter penalties of up to six percent of annual imports and the suspension of operations for online platforms engaged in e-commerce,” said the EP rapporteur for the proposal, Dutch MEP Dirk Gotink of the European People’s Party (EPP) group. “The goal is a single market that no longer turns a blind eye to platforms like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress, which flood the European market with vast quantities of non-compliant goods and compete unfairly with our businesses,” he added.
Today’s provisional agreement must still be formally approved by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU before it can enter into force.
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Source: Reuters
