The European Union has begun enforcing a 3-euro fee on low-value e-commerce imports entering the bloc from countries outside the EU, mainly from China, Reuters reported. The measure directly affects well-known online sales platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress, which have built their business model on very low-cost shipments.
The fee, which came into force this Wednesday, will be applied to each customs classification within the same shipment. This means that a package containing three different product categories will face a total fee of 9 euros, while a shipment with several items in the same category will pay 3 euros.
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This decision marks the European Union’s first step to curb what it describes as unfair competition from e-commerce platforms. The exemption from customs duties for packages worth up to 150 euros had been in place since 2008, but the sharp rise in the number of shipments has increased concerns over the loss of customs revenue and the entry into the market of products that do not comply with European standards.
According to EU data, the number of packages entering the bloc through this exemption rose from 1.4 billion in 2022 to 5.8 billion during 2025.
Dirk Gotink, the European lawmaker leading customs reform in the European Parliament, said the system had been widely abused.
“In a different trading world this made sense, but that world no longer exists. The exemption has been abused on an industrial scale and has created an unfair competitive advantage to the detriment of European businesses,” he said.
Trade experts estimate that the new fees will lead to a drop of between 10% and 35% in e-commerce air shipments to the European Union in the first weeks of implementation.
Meanwhile, Shein has begun adapting to the new framework by increasing its storage capacity in Poland and sending more goods to the EU in bulk. AliExpress said buyers will be informed of import fees before completing their order, while Amazon said 97% of its shipments to the European Union are made from warehouses located within the bloc.
The 3-euro fee is considered a temporary solution and is expected to be replaced by a new tariff system based on product categories, which will come into force on July 1, 2028, when the new European Union Customs Authority begins operations.
