EU tax on Shein and Temu - Officials: Expensive goods, fairer competition for European businesses
Until now, goods worth less than 150 euros could enter the bloc without paying customs duties under the so-called “de minimis” exemption. Chinese platforms exploited this by sending billions of low-value packages directly to European consumers from China, avoiding up to 12% of import duties and bypassing many regulatory checks.
The EU now receives more than two billion such packages each year, with authorities estimating that up to 65% are undervalued or misdeclared. The system has helped companies like SHEIN grow rapidly while lowering prices for European retailers.
For consumers, this legal loophole meant ultra-cheap prices and fast delivery, but also growing concerns about unsafe products, toxic chemicals, counterfeit goods, and environmental damage associated with billions of packages shipped individually by air.
Under new EU rules starting this July, low-value imports will face a flat customs duty of €3, with additional fees depending on the type of goods in a package. Online marketplaces will also automatically become legally responsible for the safety of the products they sell in the EU, rather than passing the onus onto consumers.
The changes are expected to make imported goods more expensive and deliveries slower, but EU officials argue they will create fairer competition for European businesses and improve product safety standards for buyers.
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