EU and G7 tighten rules on Chinese imports, from cheap goods to rare earths

From July 2026 the European Union will end the €150 customs exemption for low‑value parcels from China, applying a flat €3 duty per product category. The change will raise the price of inexpensive items sold by Chinese platforms such as Temu and Shein by 30‑75 % and is intended to level the playing field for EU retailers.

At the same time, G7 leaders at the Évian summit agreed to set import ceilings on rare earths and permanent‑magnet materials sourced from China. The joint declaration targets a reduction of reliance on a single non‑G7 supplier to below 60 % of total demand by 2030, with a longer‑term goal of 50 %, in order to mitigate strategic vulnerability in high‑tech and defence industries.

Both measures reflect growing concerns in Europe and among the G7 about supply‑chain dependence on China for consumer goods and critical minerals.