The European Union has introduced a new fee on imports of low-cost goods ordered through foreign online stores. From July 1, parcels with goods worth up to €150 will cost €3 per category of goods. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

The new measure is aimed at combating what the EU calls unfair competition from foreign online retailers, including Chinese platforms Shein, Temu and AliExpress. The European Commission also said the fee would help limit the import of goods that do not meet European quality and safety standards.

According to the European Commission, the number of parcels worth up to €150 entering EU countries is growing rapidly. While in 2022 there were about 1.4 billion, in 2025 this figure reached 5.8 billion shipments. Brussels believes that due to this volume, customs services no longer have time to carry out necessary checks.

As noted by the European Commission, an inspection conducted in 2025 showed that more than 60% of imported goods, including toys, cosmetics and electronics, did not meet safety requirements or contained prohibited components.

Under the new rules, a fee of €3 will be charged for each category of goods in one parcel. For example, if a shipment contains goods of three different categories, the buyer will have to pay an additional €9. If all goods belong to the same category, the fee will be €3 regardless of their quantity.

It is expected that from July 1, 2028, after the launch of the new EU customs service, the amount of fees will depend on the category of goods.

In May, the United States introduced similar restrictions, abolishing duty-free import of cheap goods from China. From the end of August, the new rules will apply to imports from all countries. According to DW, the UK is also considering introducing similar measures.

Before the adoption of pan-European rules, individual countries already applied their own fees. For example, in France, parcels with cheap goods from China were charged €2. Now this measure has been replaced by a single fee for the entire European Union.

Against the backdrop of the new requirements, Chinese marketplace Shein has begun expanding its warehouse infrastructure in Europe in advance, increasing the capacity of its logistics center in Wroclaw, Poland, and increasing the volume of wholesale supplies to EU countries.