BRUSSELS / LONDON (IT BOLTWISE) – The European Union is considering a major reform of its customs regulations that could have a lasting impact on online commerce. From 2028, customs duties will be levied on goods under 150 euros in order to promote equal competition and combat fraud. These measures could particularly affect platforms such as Shein and Temu, which send millions of parcels to the EU every day.
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The European Union is facing a potential overhaul of its customs regime that could significantly impact online commerce, particularly platforms such as Shein and Temu. There is currently a discussion in Brussels about whether duty-free borders for inexpensive goods should be lifted. A proposal from the European Commission envisages charging customs duties for many goods under 150 euros from 2028. The aim of this measure is to promote equal competition and prevent fraudulent practices.
The previous regulation allowed traders to import shipments worth less than 150 euros into the EU duty-free. However, this practice has often been abused by false declarations of value in order to illegally take advantage of the duty exemption. Studies by the EU Commission estimate that around 65 percent of imported goods are deliberately undervalued, which particularly disadvantages small and medium-sized companies in the EU. In addition, splitting larger orders into smaller shipments puts European companies at a competitive disadvantage and increases packaging waste.
Online trading has significantly increased the volume of small import packages. In 2024, around twelve million such packages arrived in the EU every day. In addition to large portals such as Amazon, Temu, AliExpress and Shein are likely to be particularly affected by the planned customs changes. On average, around 400,000 Shein and Temu packages are sent to German customers every day, generating billions in sales.
Ramona Pop from the Federal Association of Consumer Organizations sees the abolition of the duty-free border as a first step towards curbing this flood of packages and also calls for marketplaces to take more consistent responsibility for product safety. Medium-sized business representatives like Günter Althaus welcome the equal treatment of foreign and domestic traders and are calling for an improvement in customs controls. Amazon is also openly in favor of strengthening customs surveillance. A flat rate tax of up to two euros per shipment is also being considered in order to address the growing volume of parcels.
It remains worth noting how the major bargain portals Temu and Shein will be affected by these changes. Critics continue to criticize the product quality and fairness on these platforms. In France, Shein is under pressure after legally questionable items were discovered in its range. The French government responded with increased controls at Paris airport, while Shein emphasized cooperation with the authorities.
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