EU plans to fast-track fees on small Chinese parcels

The European Commission is pushing to introduce duties on small packages imported from China as early as the start of next year, according to the Financial Times.

The EU plans to introduce duties on small Chinese parcels next year to protect European manufacturers and cover customs costs, according to the Financial Times, a leading British financial newspaper.

Photo: Marvin Schwaibold/Unsplash.com/CC0

The move is aimed at protecting European manufacturers from what Brussels describes as unfair competition from cheap goods sold on popular Chinese platforms such as Shein, Temu, and Alibaba.

Previously, such rules were expected to take effect later, but EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič has urged member states to accelerate implementation.

Details of the proposed fees remain unclear, though earlier reports suggested a flat charge of around €2 per small parcel.

Currently, over 4.5 billion packages from non-EU countries are delivered annually to private customers within the bloc, placing significant strain on customs authorities.

Part of the fees would help cover the cost of processing these shipments.

The Financial Times reports that Brussels is seeking to accelerate its crackdown on cheap Chinese parcels, signalling a tougher stance on e-commerce imports that have grown rapidly in recent years.

Brussels aims to accelerate crackdown on cheap Chinese parcels https://t.co/UUtpdMaM7r

— FT Europe (@ftbrussels) November 12, 2025

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Source: IAR/The Financial Times/X/@ftbrussels