EU member states have agreed to introduce a €3 customs duty on small online orders worth less than €150 entering the bloc from 1 July 2026, The Irish Times reported on 12 December 2025. The newspaper described the measure as an interim step ahead of the EU Customs Data Hub, planned for 2028.
The European Commission welcomed the decision, citing the need to protect European retail businesses, according to the report. The Irish Times identified low-cost platforms Temu and Shein as likely to be among those most affected.
Low-value imports reached 4.6 billion in 2024
The Commission said in February 2025 that around 4.6 billion consignments worth €150 or less entered the EU market in 2024. That amounted to roughly 12 million parcels a day and about twice the previous year’s volume.
According to Commission figures cited by The Irish Times, 91% of e-commerce shipments valued at up to €150 entering the bloc came from China.
In its February announcement, the Commission said many low-value imported products did not comply with EU laws. It cited concerns about harmful products, unfair competition for sellers complying with EU rules and the environmental impact of mass shipping.
Separate handling fee remains under discussion
The customs duty is distinct from a proposed EU handling fee for e-commerce parcels. Reuters reported in May 2025 that the proposal envisaged a €2 fee for packages delivered directly to customers and a €0.50 fee for parcels handled through a warehouse in the EU. The Irish Times reported in December that negotiations over a handling fee were continuing.
Reuters also reported in May that the Commission planned to remove duty-free treatment for e-commerce packages worth no more than €150 from 2028, providing the longer-term context for the temporary duty.
Irish MEP Barry Andrews welcomed the €3 agreement but called for an increase if it failed to reduce the flow of cheap deliveries from China, The Irish Times reported.