The European Union will impose customs duties on small parcels starting in 2026
In a decisive move aimed at regulating the cross-border e-commerce market and protecting domestic markets, EU finance ministers today agreed to impose a fixed customs duty of €3 on all small parcels arriving from outside the EU. This decision is scheduled to take full effect on July 1, 2026, in a move directly aimed at curbing the influx of cheap goods from global e-commerce platforms such as Shein, Temu, and AliExpress.
Details of the decision and implementation timeline
A European Union spokesperson explained that this new fee will be applied as a fixed and uniform measure, noting that it will remain in place until a final and comprehensive agreement is reached on the structure of permanent tariffs to be imposed on this category of imports. This mechanism, which will begin in the summer of 2026, aims to cover the administrative costs of processing the enormous volume of parcels arriving daily at European ports and airports.
In a related context, Italy announced the adoption of a more stringent and urgent position, as it decided to start applying a fee of (2) euros on small parcels coming from outside Europe as of January 1, 2026, six months before the unified European date, reflecting Rome’s desire to accelerate trade protection procedures.
Background to the decision: Closing customs loopholes
This decision cannot be separated from the broader context of recent European economic policies. It comes just one month after the European Union agreed to abolish the "De Minimis" (Customs Exemption) previously granted to parcels valued at less than €150. Historically, this exemption allowed millions of shipments to enter the European market duty-free, creating a significant competitive advantage for foreign companies selling low-cost goods compared to European retailers who were obligated to pay all local taxes and duties.
Economic and competitive dimensions
These moves are seen as a serious attempt by Brussels to level the playing field. The explosion in e-commerce from Asia has flooded European markets with cheap products, damaging local industries and the traditional retail sector. Furthermore, the EU faces increasing pressure to ensure these global companies contribute to tax revenue, as well as concerns about the environmental sustainability of shipping millions of individual items by air across continents.
This decision is expected to lead to a slight increase in final prices for the European consumer, but in return it will boost customs revenues and reduce distortions in the market, putting e-commerce giants in front of new challenges to maintain the attractiveness of their low prices.
