The European Union is ending duty-free regime for imports worth under 150 euros from today, meaning that consumers buying cheap goods outside the bloc will pay more, DPA reported, BTA reported.
Under the new rules, a flat customs fee of 3 euros will be applied to each category of goods in a single shipment. For example, a package containing several T-shirts will be charged a single fee of 3 euros, while adding a toy will result in an additional fee of 3 euros.
Although sellers or importers are legally responsible for declaring and paying customs duties, they can pass the costs on to consumers, the European Commission said. The European Consumer Centre in Germany warned that the new fees could significantly increase the price of very cheap products, and experts say prices on some online platforms have already risen.
The measure was taken after a sharp increase in imports of low-value goods into the EU. According to the European Commission, 5.9 billion parcels worth less than 150 euros entered the bloc duty-free last year, equivalent to around 16 million parcels a day. More than 90 percent of these parcels came from China, a senior EU official said.
The flat fee is expected to remain in place until July 1, 2028, as a temporary measure while the EU develops a new digital customs platform. Once the system is operational, standard duties will apply based on the value, origin and classification of the product.