The European Union intends to start taxing small parcels imported from China in 2026, anticipating the end of customs exemptions in the face of the exponential growth of this trade and unfair competition.
Nearly 4.6 billion packages under €150 entered the European market in 2024 – the equivalent of more than 145 per second – of which 91% from Chinaaccording to data cited by community sources.
A month ago, the finance ministers of the 27 member states approved the end of customs duty exemption about this type of orders, regardless of the country of origin, but with a clear focus on combating the influx of low-cost products from China, sold on platforms such as Shein, Temu ou AliExpressoften without respecting European standards.
The measure was already part of the reform of the Customs Union, which is only expected to come into full force in 2028, but Brussels wants to speed up and implement a “simple and provisional” transitional solution from 2026.
“It is essential to act quickly”, warns França
“Four years ago, one billion packages arrived from China. Today there are more than four billion,” warned French Economy Minister Roland Lescure, quoted by France Presse. “These packages represent unfair competition compared to traditional commerce, which pays taxes. It is essential to act, and act quickly”, he stated.
France has led this initiative in Brussels, in a context of tension with Sheinafter the Chinese platform was the target of scandals related to the sale of child-like sex dolls and category A weapons.
The main technical difficulty relates to the inability of customs services to control the compliance of these massive volumes of imports, which has allowed the entry of dangerous or counterfeit products.
Applying rates since 2026 that vary depending on the nature of the product and country of origin would be “a Herculean task” and could further burden already congested customs services, admit diplomatic sources.
Fixed rate per package gains traction
Faced with this scenario, the proposal defended by Paris is to apply a flat rate per packageconsidered more effective and dissuasive than proportional taxation, according to Lescure. “We want the measures to have a real impact”, he highlighted.
The measure’s entry into force will depend on the definition of a viable model. “Will it be January 1st? April 1st? We’ll see. But I want it to be very quick in 2026,” he said.
A European diplomat warned, however, that the provisional system “is not simple” and will have to be set up with current means, which prevents the definition of an exact date.
This customs tax is just the first step in a broader European response to the influx of “made in China” products. From November 2026, Brussels also proposes the introduction of a processing fee of two euros per package with a value of less than €150.
According to the European Commission, this new fee will serve to finance the improvement of border controls and, together with the collection of fees, help to rebalance competition between European products and those imported from China.