EU tax proposals target large firms and low‑value e‑commerce imports

The European Commission is reviewing the proposed Corporate Resource for Europe (CORE) tax on large companies. Officials are considering raising the revenue‑threshold and excluding smaller or low‑profit firms to make the measure more acceptable in negotiations over the EU’s seven‑year budget, which aims to fund defence, competitiveness and pandemic‑related debt without raising member‑state contributions. Critics warn that the changes could cut expected revenue and may not address the tax’s fundamental flaws.

Separately, the EU introduced a €3 customs fee on low‑value e‑commerce parcels from 1 July. Consumer group BEUC says the charge often appears late or not at all, leading to unexpected costs for shoppers. The Commission says online platforms and merchants must bear the fee and ensure consumers see the total price upfront. The new rule has already reduced air freight capacity from China to Europe by about 18% and altered traffic to the UK’s Stansted airport.