The European Union is implementing stricter regulations on low-value parcels from non-EU online marketplaces, placing new responsibilities on platforms like Temu and Shein, including data provision and duty payments, in a bid to modernise customs control and curb unfair competition.
The European Union is tightening its grip on the flood of low-value parcels arriving from non-EU online marketplaces, with new rules that will make platforms such as Temu and Shein responsible as importers and add a further handling charge on top of the temporary €3 customs duty already in force for small consignments. According to the European Council and Parliament, the wider reform is designed to improve customs control, reduce unfair competition and address safety risks linked to direct-to-consumer e-commerce.
From 1 November, member states are due to begin collecting a new administrative fee on each item bought from a non-EU seller and shipped directly to an EU customer. The European Parliament said the charge is meant to help cover the rising cost of processing individual parcels, and it will be separate from the €3 duty introduced on 1 July 2026 for small parcels valued below €150. That temporary duty applies to each item category in a consignment and is intended to remain in place until the permanent customs system is operational.
The most consequential change is that the platforms themselves will bear much of the customs burden. They will have to provide the necessary data to customs authorities, ensure duties and other charges are paid or guaranteed, and take responsibility for compliance with EU product rules. The new regime also requires data to be submitted in advance, allowing customs officials to assess risk before a parcel enters the bloc. According to the Council and Parliament, the handling fee will be paid by the same party responsible for the other customs charges on the parcel, which is meant to prevent the cost being pushed straight on to consumers.
Brussels is also building new enforcement infrastructure. The reform includes the creation of a customs centre in Lille and an electronic EU customs data hub due in 2028, which officials say will bring more uniformity to the system. The Council has said the wider overhaul is intended to modernise customs procedures, improve risk management and strengthen the bloc’s ability to stop unsafe or non-compliant goods at the border. Companies that repeatedly break the rules could face fines of up to 6% of turnover and, in serious cases, lose trusted trader status.
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