The European Union is fast-tracking its plan to tax small online packages from major Chinese shopping platforms like Shein, Temu, and Alibaba, aiming to roll out the measure in early 2026, more than two years ahead of schedule.
The move is part of Brussels' effort to protect European retailers struggling to compete with a flood of cheap imports.
According to a letter from EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, shared with finance ministers and reported by the Reuters. The early implementation is "a crucial step in ensuring the European Union bolsters its position in the face of rapidly changing trade realities."
Šefčovič added that the decision "would send a strong signal that Europe is serious about increasing its competitiveness and ensuring fair conditions for its businesses."
Currently, packages valued under €150 can enter the EU without customs duties, allowing overseas retailers—especially Chinese e-commerce giants—to ship billions of low-cost goods directly to consumers.
The European Commission's new proposal would scrap this exemption and introduce a €2 per-package handling fee, which could apply to as many as 4.6 billion parcels imported last year. Chinese sellers reportedly account for over 80% of these small shipments.
France is urging the EU to increase customs duties on small packages two years earlier than planned, expanding its campaign against Chinese retailers as it tangles with e-commerce giant Shein. https://t.co/YmgzzZWuSJ
— Bloomberg (@business) November 12, 2025
EU Finance Ministers Urged to Protect Local Businesses
Šefčovič urged finance ministers meeting this week to back the faster timeline, warning that waiting until the previously planned 2028 implementation would leave European businesses at a disadvantage, FinancialTimes reported.
"This timeline is incompatible with the urgency of the situation," he wrote. "European industries, particularly retailers, have repeatedly underlined that this distortion of competition be removed without delay."
The trade commissioner's letter also emphasized that some EU nations are already taking matters into their own hands.
Romania, for example, has introduced national handling fees of up to €5 per parcel, a move that increased pressure on Brussels to act sooner and unify the approach across all EU member states.
The shift signals a tougher stance by the EU toward China's trade practices, arriving just days before a G20 summit, where European leaders are expected to confront Chinese President Xi Jinping on trade fairness.
"This is not a technical matter—it is a question of Europe's capacity to act in defense of its economic interests," Šefčovič said. "A modern, competitive Europe must be able to better protect its borders and ensure fair competition."
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