EU Implements €3 Per-Category Customs Fee on Low-Value Asian Imports

From 1 July 2024 the European Union introduced a simplified customs regime that levies a fixed €3 fee for each product category on parcels up to €150 arriving from outside the EU. The measure targets the flood of cheap goods shipped from Asian platforms such as Temu, AliExpress and Shein, which accounted for about 91 % of the 4.6 billion low‑value orders recorded in 2023. The fee is applied per category rather than per package, so a single box containing a t‑shirt, a pair of shoes and a gadget would incur €9 in customs charges.

Large online retailers are bypassing the tax by storing inventory in EU warehouses; for example, AliExpress already operates a distribution centre in the Czech Republic. This allows faster delivery and gives consumers EU consumer‑rights protection, while keeping the €3 per‑category charge lower than the cost of clearing goods at the border. Consumer‑rights group dTest argues the tax does not fully address unfair competition and calls for stricter enforcement. In Portugal, the standard 23 % VAT still applies on top of the customs fee, and additional CTT clearance fees of €7 plus VAT may be charged.