EU Adds €2 Fee on Low-Value Packages from Temu and Shein
From today, a new €2 handling fee applies to low-value packages entering the EU, on top of the €3 fee introduced in July. The move targets cheap online imports from platforms like Temu and Shein, with the EU expecting to collect billions annually.
Illustration: AI-generated image
Shoppers in Croatia who order cheap items from Chinese online platforms such as Temu and Shein will have to pay a new EU handling fee starting today, Sunday 1 November. The additional €2 charge applies to low-value packages entering the European Union, on top of the €3 fee that has been in place since early July.
The move is part of Brussels' effort to address the surge in low-cost online imports, most of which come from China. According to European Commission data, 5.8 billion packages worth less than €150 entered the EU last year, a 26% increase on the year before, with many believed to have had undervalued declared values to avoid customs duties.
The Commission estimates the new fees could bring in around €6 billion annually to the EU budget between 2028 and 2034. Around 90% of the collected fees are expected to go to the EU, with 10% going to member states, though this split could change during ongoing budget negotiations.
Several platforms have already started adapting. AliExpress said it is increasing local warehousing in Europe, while Temu has offered some customers discounts on the new fees. Shein, which recently listed on the stock exchange and is expanding warehouse space in Poland, said it remains focused on keeping prices competitive. Amazon noted that 97% of its EU sales are already fulfilled from within the bloc, so the fees affect very few of its shipments.
Dirk Gotink, the MEP leading the EU's customs reform, said the new fee is aimed at what he called a business model of improper low-value imports from China via the internet.
