EU Plans $3 Fee on Low-Value Packages Flooding into Bloc

The European Union said on May 20 that it was preparing to impose a €2 ($3) flat fee on the billions of low-value packages that flood into the bloc each year, the great majority from China.

- AFP

BRUSSELS —

Trade chief Maros Sefcovic told the European Parliament that e-commerce platforms would be expected to pay the levy per parcel, which aims to help the EU tackle the challenges from the massive influx of inexpensive items.

The fee would remove the Customs-free status of packages worth less than €150 that are imported directly to consumers, often via platforms such as Chinese-founded Temu and Shein.

Parcels sent directly to warehouses where they are stored in the EU would face a lower fee of 50 euro cents, Mr. Sefcovic said.