EU adds a €2 handling fee on non-EU parcels from 1 November, hitting fast-fashion platforms
From 1 November the EU will charge a two-euro handling fee per item type in packages sent directly to consumers from outside the bloc, on top of the three-euro small-parcel duty introduced in July. Platforms and sellers such as Temu, AliExpress and Amazon must pay it.
The European Union will charge a €2 handling fee on packages sent to consumers from outside the bloc starting 1 November, just ahead of Black Friday and the Christmas rush, FashionUnited reports, citing AFP. The aim is to curb the flood of cheap parcels, mostly from China.
How it works
The fee applies to each type of item in a package, regardless of its value: ten T-shirts cost €2, but two hats plus ten T-shirts cost €4. It comes on top of the €3 duty imposed in July on small packages worth under €150. Marketplaces such as Amazon, AliExpress and Temu, and other sellers and intermediaries, must pay; the EU says consumers will not, though platforms can raise prices.
Why
Nearly six billion small packages entered the EU last year, and about 93% of the cheap ones came from China. Since the €3 duty began in July, such imports have fallen by around 64%, though officials say it is too early for firm conclusions. The €2 fee is permanent and will be reviewed every two years, while the €3 duty is temporary until 1 July 2028, when standard product-specific tariffs take over.
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