Do you often order from Shein or Temu? You will soon have to pay much more!
From 1 July 2026, the European Union will introduce a EUR 3 customs fee (around HUF 1,200) on low-value parcels arriving from outside the bloc. EU finance ministers reached the agreement on Friday. The measure aims to curb the flood of ultra-cheap Chinese e-commerce goods – such as items ordered from Shein and Temu – and to better protect the health and safety of EU consumers.
Why is the new fee necessary?
Due to the rapid growth of online shopping in recent years, the “de minimis” rule – which exempts imported goods worth under €150 from customs duties – has become increasingly problematic. The number of duty-free parcels has surged dramatically: while 1.4 billion low-value shipments entered the EU in 2022, this rose to 2.3 billion in 2023 and to 4.6 billion in 2024. According to Telex, citing Reuters, 91% of these packages came from China.
The sheer volume poses a major challenge for customs authorities. The Council of the EU notes that importers frequently undervalue shipments to avoid paying duties, while the European Commission warns that unsafe or non-compliant products can easily slip through, posing potential health risks.
Hungary’s role in the e-commerce boom
In recent years, Hungary has become a regional distribution hub for Chinese e-commerce shipments. According to data from the National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV), a record number of parcels arriving from outside the EU passed through Hungary this year, with a significant portion continuing to other EU member states.
Further changes to the customs system
The EU ultimately plans to abolish the EUR 150 duty-free threshold entirely. The newly approved EUR 3 fee is intended as an interim measure until the final regulatory framework is ready. The European Commission is also considering the introduction of a separate handling fee, suggesting a rate of EUR 2 per parcel, though no implementation date has been set.
According to the EU, these steps aim to ensure fair competition for European retailers, strengthen consumer protection, and reduce both fraud and environmental impacts linked to the massive volume of shipments.
Dangerous products ordered from Temu and Shein
As recently reported, several Western European countries have joined forces to prove how likely it is that customers may unknowingly order potentially dangerous products from Chinese platforms such as Shein and Temu.
Consumer protection organisations in Germany, France, Belgium and Denmark ordered 162 products worth EUR 690 from the two platforms, covering three categories: jewellery, baby toys and USB chargers. Once delivered, the items were sent to laboratories for safety testing against EU regulations. The results were alarming: 70% of the products failed the tests. You can read more about the investigation in our previous article.
Instead of picking the European peoples’ pockets yet more, how about EUrogarbage abolish the endless regulations that stifle productivity so that industrious Europeans start producing stuff again AND are able to compete with the likes of China?
Thought not.
yEUck!