EU Implements New Duty on Small Packages: Purchases from China and Non-EU Countries May Cost Much More Than 3 Euros

As of today, the new European duty applied to shipments from countries outside the European Union with a declared value of less than 150 euros officially comes into effect. The measure aims to reduce the competitive advantage that non-European e-commerce platforms, particularly Chinese ones like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress, have benefited from in recent years.

Until now, these shipments enjoyed an exemption from duties, justified by the administrative costs that their management would incur compared to the recoverable amounts. However, the exponential increase in online purchases has changed the landscape: according to data from the European Commission, around 5.9 billion items entered the Union via low-value packages in 2025, equivalent to about 16 million shipments every day. Over 90% of these shipments came from China and accounted for 97% of all packages imported into the EU, despite only making up 2% of the total value of imports.

One of the most significant aspects of the new regulations concerns the method of calculating the duty. The flat fee of 3 euros is not applied to the entire shipment but rather to each different declared customs item. This means that an order containing multiple products in the same goods category will incur a single fee. For example, purchasing five t-shirts will cost a total of 3 euros. Conversely, a package containing a t-shirt, a pair of shoes, and an umbrella, classified with three different customs codes, will incur a charge of 9 euros. The presence of products from different categories can significantly increase the final cost of the order, especially considering that many of the items purchased through these platforms are particularly low-priced.

The economic impact of the measure is not limited to the fixed fee. The duty also becomes part of the taxable base upon which VAT is calculated. In Italy, where the standard VAT rate is 22%, a contribution of 3 euros results in an actual cost of 3.66 euros. In the case of three different goods categories, the total amount of duties, including VAT, can approach 11 euros.

From a legal perspective, the duty debtor remains the importer, that is, the platform, the seller, or the operator who organizes the import. Nothing, however, prevents this cost from being fully or partially passed on to the final consumer through price increases or shipping fees. Alternatively, some operators might decide to absorb the additional burden or accelerate the use of logistics centers already present within the European Union.

The system introduced today represents a transitional solution intended to remain in effect until July 1, 2028. From that date, the European Customs Data Hub, a centralized digital platform that will progressively replace current national systems, is expected to be launched, allowing for the application of standard customs duties based on the value of the goods, their origin, and their classification. An example provided by the Commission highlights the difference: a t-shirt bought from China for 10 euros will no longer be subject to the flat fee of 3 euros but to the normal duty applicable to clothing, which is 12% of the item's value, equating to 1.20 euros.

The European Commission further justifies the intervention with the need to protect the internal market and consumer safety. According to Brussels, over 60% of controlled products among toys, electronics, cosmetics, and supplements do not meet European compliance and safety standards.

The regulatory framework will be further updated in the coming months. Starting from November 1, a European handling fee of 2 euros per shipment is expected to come into effect, intended to cover administrative costs incurred by customs authorities in managing the high number of imports from e-commerce.

Unlike the new duty, this fee will be applied once per package, regardless of the number of items contained or their respective customs classifications. The introduction of the European handling fee also impacts Italian legislation. The Budget Law had anticipated a national contribution of 2 euros on non-EU packages under 150 euros, initially set for July 1 and subsequently postponed to October 1. However, the European Commission clarified that once the community commission is operational, member states must eliminate any similar national contributions.