PARIS – European Union finance ministers agreed on Friday to impose a 3-euro customs duty on inexpensive packages entering the bloc, a move aimed at curbing the surge of ultra-low cost e-commerce imports from platforms such as Shein and Temu – and easing pressure on domestic retailers.

The fee will take effect from July 1, 2026, and will apply to all parcels valued at under 150 euros shipped into the EU from outside the bloc.

It comes weeks after the EU agreed to scrap a longstanding customs duty exemption, a loophole similar to the “de minimus” rule in the U.S. that has caused a surge in shipments of inexpensive clothing and goods, many of them originating in China.

While the charge will apply to parcels from all non-EU countries, officials made it clear that this is a move to curb Chinese-founded platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress, due to their DTC shipping models built around high volumes of low-priced goods.

Under the new system, each parcel will be subject to a flat charge of 3 euros. If multiple identical items, such as shirts, are shipped together, the fee will apply once, while parcels containing a mix of products, such as five shirts and one charging cable, the fee will be applied for each product category.

The fee applies per parcel, not per retailer, meaning platforms that rely on splitting orders into multiple shipments could face significantly higher costs.

According to European Commission data, 4.6 billion parcels valued under 150 euros entered the EU in 2024, equaling more than 145 every second. The volume has more than tripled since 2022, overwhelming customs authorities and intensifying complaints from European retailers. About 91 percent originated in China.

Retailers across the bloc have argued that overseas e-commerce platforms benefit from unfair advantages, selling low-cost goods that often bypass EU product safety, environmental and consumer protection standards. The influx of parcels has made it difficult for customs officials to intercept counterfeit or dangerous products.

France has been at the forefront of pushing for fees, citing the roughly 800 million small parcels shipped into the country last year.

“The introduction of a flat-rate charge on small parcels is a major victory for the European Union,” said French economy minister Roland Lescure. “Europe is taking concrete steps to protect its single market, its consumers and its sovereignty.”

The fee is seen as a stopgap as the EU works to set up a more permanent framework to handle billions of incoming shipments across the bloc. Additional processing fees on small parcels are expected to follow from November 2026 to help fund enhanced customs controls.

EU officials said the 3-euro fee is temporary and will remain in place only until a permanent framework for taxing small parcels is agreed as part of a broader reform of the EU’s customs union, currently slated for 2028.