EU customs fees impact Chinese e-commerce platforms

A new European Union policy, effective July 1, has introduced a 3-euro customs fee on small shipments from third countries to replace previous exemptions for goods valued under 150 euros. This measure specifically targets high-volume e-commerce platforms from China, such as Temu, Shein, and AliExpress.

Initial data indicates that while the number of individual parcels has decreased, the total value of orders remains high. Consumers are adapting by placing larger, consolidated orders to minimize the impact of the per-category fee. In response to the new costs and customs delays, major Chinese platforms are aggressively offering discounts of up to 80% and establishing warehouses within the EU to bypass traditional customs bottlenecks.

In regions like the Czech Republic, customs data showed a significant drop in cleared items from non-EU countries in July compared to the previous month, though experts suggest this may also be influenced by seasonal trends. While the fee has increased the cost of goods for consumers and placed higher pressure on customs authorities, it has also generated new revenue for state treasuries.