Romania e-commerce growth slows due to new customs fees

The momentum of Asian e-commerce platforms like Temu and Shein has slowed in Romania due to the introduction of new customs and logistics fees. According to Cristian Pelivan, Executive Director of the Romanian Association of Online Stores (ARMO), the volume of packages arriving from outside the EU has decreased by approximately 40 percent following these changes.

Since the beginning of the year, a 25 leu Romanian logistics fee has been applied to packages valued under 150 euros. Additionally, a 3 euro EU-level customs fee has been in effect since July 1, which is applied based on the product's tariff classification and is subject to VAT. These costs significantly impact low-cost items, potentially offsetting the price advantage offered by Asian platforms.

Data from the Romanian anti-fraud directorate (DGAF) indicates that the 25 leu logistics fee alone generated approximately 340 million lei in the first half of the year, corresponding to roughly 13.5 million taxed packages.