EU to impose levy on small parcels tomorrow
From Sunday, a €2 surcharge per item will apply to goods in small parcels from outside the European Union.
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The European Union will introduce a new levy from Sunday on small parcels sent directly to consumers from outside the EU. The measure will mainly affect cheap orders through platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress, but formally applies more broadly to shipments from outside the bloc.
The surcharge will be €2 per item in a parcel. The European Council says the levy will be applied by all EU member states from 1 November. The EU wants the measure to fund the handling of the rapidly growing flow of small consignments and make competition between European shops and foreign online retailers fairer.
According to the European Council, around 4.6 billion e-commerce parcels worth less than €150 entered the EU in 2024. Around 91 per cent of them came from China. Such a volume of consignments can make customs and product-safety checks more difficult.
The levy is separate from other customs rules and any import duties. The precise impact on consumer prices will depend on how platforms, sellers and logistics companies distribute the costs. Some of the cost may be included in the price, but companies may also try to absorb it elsewhere.
Reuters reported, based on a European Commission document, that the measure could generate around €6 billion a year between 2028 and 2034. This is an estimate, not a guaranteed return. The amount will depend, among other things, on the number of parcels and on how online retailers and consumers respond.
For Dutch consumers, the new arrangement mainly means that very cheap orders could become less cheap. For European retailers, it could narrow part of the price gap. At the same time, questions remain about oversight, the enforcement of product-safety rules and whether sellers will adjust their trading routes.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- From 1 November, the EU will introduce a €2 levy per item on small consignments from outside the EU.
- The arrangement is intended for goods sent directly to consumers.
- A large proportion of small consignments comes from China.
Left
Arguments Sees the levy as a way to give greater weight to labour, environmental and safety standards and to protect European shops from a race to the lowest price.
Values Fair competition, consumer protection and sustainable production.
Consequences Emphasises that higher prices are defensible if they improve oversight and working conditions, but fears that people on low incomes will be affected most.
Centre
Arguments Supports a workable contribution for customs and oversight, but wants transparency about how the proceeds are used and an assessment of the effects on prices and trade flows.
Values Equal rules, proportionality and administrative scrutiny.
Consequences Expects the measure to work only if member states apply the levy uniformly and genuinely monitor product safety.
Right
Arguments Emphasises that the EU should not use disguised taxes to influence consumer choices and that European companies should become more competitive mainly through fewer rules and lower charges.
Values Low taxes, freedom of choice and market forces.
Consequences Fears higher prices, more bureaucracy and trade disputes without any certainty that cheap online platforms will actually be curbed.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The main facts about the levy and the scale of the parcel flow can be found in EU sources. The possible revenue is explicitly presented as an estimate.
- confirmed From 1 November, the EU will impose a €2 levy per item in small parcels from outside the EU. — The Council of the EU gives the date and the amount per item. source
- confirmed In 2024, around 4.6 billion parcels worth less than €150 entered the EU, and 91 per cent came from China. — These figures appear on the Council's information page. source
- confirmed The measure could generate around €6 billion a year between 2028 and 2034. — Reuters describes this as an estimate from a Commission document. source
Editor's note
The start date, amount and scope have been confirmed by EU information and an independent broadcaster. The estimated €6 billion return is a scenario from a Commission document, not a settled outcome.Sources
- EU action on the influx of small parcels — Raad van de Europese Unie
- Exclusive: EU fees that hit cheap Shein, Temu parcels could raise €6 billion — Reuters
- New levy on non-EU parcels to start on 1 November — RTÉ
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „douane pakketjes”
- Het Parool — „douane pakketjes”
- de Volkskrant — „douane pakketjes”