The end of cheap parcels from China: the EU takes €3 for each category of goods up to €150

The European Union has introduced a new temporary customs duty for small online orders from countries outside of EU. Goods worth up to €150, which previously could be received without customs duty, are now subject to a fixed amount of €3 for each individual product category.

We are talking primarily about purchases through Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Amazon Haul and other platforms that sell goods directly from China, the USA, Great Britain and other countries outside the European Union. Formally, the new fee is paid by sellers, platforms or their customs representatives. But in reality, the market rarely suffers from altruism: additional costs will almost inevitably come at a cost to the buyer.

The main thing is several points

• From July 1, 2026, the EU abolished the duty-free regime for Internet parcels worth up to €150 from countries outside the European Union.
• A temporary fee has been introduced in the amount of €3 for each individual product category on departure.
• It is valid until July 1, 2028, after which the EU plans to switch to a normal tariff regime.
• Five identical T-shirts in one parcel cost €3, but a T-shirt, watch and cosmetics can cost €9.
• Formally, the fee is paid by the seller, platform or customs representative, and not by the buyer directly.
• However, platforms are already changing their pricing, so some of the burden will likely be passed on to consumers.
• Greece did not introduce a separate national tax: the rules were approved at the EU level and are applied in all countries of the Union.

Not for the parcel, but for the type of product

The main detail of the new rules, which is easy to get confused about: the fee is charged not for the number of items or for the box as such, but for different categories of goods.

If the parcel contains five identical T-shirts, the fee will be €3. If there is a T-shirt, watch and cream, we are already talking about three different categories, which means the amount rises to €9.

This is why cheap mixed orders can increase in price the most. A person who buys several small items for €1–2 runs the risk of seeing that the customs surcharge becomes more expensive than part of the order itself. The European bureaucracy, as usual, has managed to turn a keychain, socks and charging cable into almost a financial instrument.

Why did the EU cancel the benefit?

The European Commission explains the decision by the rapid growth of cheap parcels from third countries. In 2025, almost 5.9 billion small goods worth up to €150 entered the EU. Previously, such shipments enjoyed a privilege that exempted them from customs duties.

According to the official version of Brussels, this created an unequal playing field for European sellers who have to comply with safety, labeling, environmental, tax and consumer protection requirements. In addition, customs authorities were physically unable to cope with the flow of millions of small items.

The European Commission also refers to the results of inspections: among the goods from third countries that came under control, a significant part did not comply with EU standards. We were talking about cosmetics, toys, electronics, nutritional supplements and personal protective equipment.

Who does the new rules protect?

Officially, the EU talks about “leveling the playing field”, consumer protection and the fight against unsafe products. And these arguments cannot be completely discounted: a European store really cannot easily compete with a seller who ships goods directly from China, uses ultra-cheap logistics and often works under a different control system.

But there is also a downside. For millions of Europeans, Temu, Shein and AliExpress have become not a symbol of mindless shopping, but a way to buy inexpensive clothes, small appliances, accessories and household goods at a time when the cost of living is rising faster than wages.

The EU decided to correct market imbalances in the most familiar way: making imports more expensive. This helps European sellers, but does not automatically create cheap European equivalents. The buyer simply ends up with less choice and a higher bill.

What will happen to Temu, Shein and AliExpress

Large platforms are already restructuring their logistics. Some are expanding warehouses within the EU to import goods in large quantities and then deliver them to customers from European distribution centers.

This approach may allow some companies to reduce the impact of the new regime. But this does not mean that prices will remain the same: logistics, warehouse costs, customs clearance and compliance with European requirements still cost money.

Platforms can also shift some of the costs to suppliers, reduce discounts, increase minimum order amounts, or separately show import fees before payment.

Do I need to pay on delivery?

In most cases, the buyer will see the final cost at the checkout stage. This is exactly how some large sites plan to act, according to international agencies.

However, the specific scheme depends on who is the declarant, how the delivery is arranged and whether the seller uses the IOSS system. In some cases, additional procedures and fees may arise during customs clearance.

Buyers should check not only the price of the product, but also the line with import costs before clicking the payment button. Otherwise, a small purchase may suddenly not be so small.

What’s changing for Greece

For Greek buyers, the rules apply in the same way as throughout the EU. ΑΑΔΕ has already published an explanation: the new fee applies to remote purchases by individuals through electronic platforms if the goods are sent from countries outside the European Union and the cost of the shipment does not exceed €150.

The Greek government did not introduce a separate national duty. But it participates in pan-European customs policy and is obliged to apply the decision taken. Therefore, accusing Athens of independently creating a “Temu tax” would be inaccurate. It is much more accurate to say: Athens did not object to another pan-European decision, the cost of which will be felt by the ordinary buyer.

Editorial comment

The EU’s arguments look logical until they reach the cash register. Yes, the flow of cheap parcels is huge. Yes, some products may be unsafe or substandard. Yes, European sellers operate under a more expensive system of rules.

But Brussels’ answer is again very familiar: instead of reducing internal costs for European businesses, reducing bureaucracy, making production cheaper or increasing the purchasing power of the population, the EU is making the external alternative more expensive.

Formally, the fee is paid by the platform. In fact, the person who would pay would be the one who wanted to buy an inexpensive cable, a children’s toy or a dress for €5. And this is especially noticeable in Greece, where many families have long used foreign sites not out of love for Chinese marketing, but because local prices sometimes look as if the goods were delivered not from Piraeus, but from Mars.

Protecting the European market is not a crime in itself. But defending it solely by raising prices for consumers is too convenient a policy. The manufacturer is given less competition, the official has more control, and the buyer is explained that this is all for his own safety.

Sources: ΑΑΔΕ: clarification about the new duty, European Commission: rules until 2028, Council of the EU: duty calculation procedure, Reuters: Impact on platforms and prices.

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