The European Union began imposing a €2 customs handling fee on e-commerce parcels arriving from outside the bloc on November 1, adding to the €3 duty on low-value goods introduced in July. The earlier measure appears to have had a significant impact: Agence France-Presse reported on November 1 that small-parcel imports into the EU had fallen by approximately 64 percent since the duty took effect.
The new fees are expected to hit Chinese-linked platforms such as Temu, SHEIN, and AliExpress particularly hard. Their expansion in Europe has relied on low prices, extensive product selections, and direct shipments from China. Because the charges are fixed regardless of product value, cheaper items face a disproportionately greater cost increase.
According to EU figures, nearly 6 billion low-value parcels entered the bloc in 2025, with approximately 93 percent originating in China. The EU says the surge has increased customs enforcement burdens, created unfair competition for European retailers, and allowed products that fail to meet European safety standards to enter the market.
Source: Guancha, November 1, 2026
https://www.guancha.cn/ChanJing/2026_11_01_906654.shtml