Temu, Shein, AliExpress... a new tax of two euros applied to products imported into the European Union

Taxing small parcels was only a first step. In July 2026, the European Union (EU) imposed a tax of three euros on parcels worth less than 150 euros coming from a non-EU country. From this Sunday, the European organization applies a processing fee of two euros on packages coming from a third country. Carried out as part of “distance sales”, these fees are payable for each category of items contained in the same package.

European legislation specifies that it is up to the platforms, sellers or their intermediaries to pay these costs, even if they may be invoiced to consumers when paying for their order. But as the European Consumer Organization (BEUC) pointed out on Monday October 26, these costs should not be claimed from buyers after the fact by postal services or delivery companies.

As “Black Friday” – Friday November 27 – and Christmas approach, key periods for online purchases, the European Union intends, with this measure, to reduce the avalanche of Chinese products purchased on the internet, and to strengthen customs controls. Indeed, nearly 5.9 billion small parcels entered the EU in 2025, or more than 180 every second. This is four times more than in 2022. Of this total, 93% came from China, generally via sites like Shein, Temu or Aliexpress.

Faced with such an avalanche of goods, which is widening the European trade deficit, it is impossible for Member States to systematically control packages. This allows dangerous or counterfeit products to slip through the cracks. Since the spectacular growth of these Asian platforms, European manufacturers and traders have denounced unfair competition and several countries, including France, have pushed the EU to act to stem the phenomenon.

The 3 euro tax has already had significant effects: since July, the flow of small parcels has fallen by around 64%, although Brussels warns that it is too early to draw conclusions. In France, Bercy announced on Wednesday October 28 that the amount of VAT declared on small parcels to France fell by 48% between June and August 2026.

Decided as part of an in-depth reform of the customs system of the Twenty-Seven, the processing fees are a permanent measure. But their amount will be reviewed every two years to follow the evolution of the cost of customs checks.

Specific fees, at a reduced amount, will also be applicable from July 1, 2028 to packages transiting through specialized warehouses. As with the 3 euro tax, for the purposes of harmonization of the European market, EU countries which had implemented their own national processing fees had to waive them.

Machine-translated from French