EU mulls 2-euro fee on small parcels

The European Union has proposed a 2-euro (HK$17.73) fee on small parcels entering its market, which mainly come from Chinese e-commerce giants such as Shein and Temu.

Under the new tax, packages valued at less than 150 euros and directly sent to EU customers are no longer customs-free.

EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said e-commerce platforms will pay the fee, adding that the measure aims to help the EU deal with the challenges from the massive influx of inexpensive items.

He also said parcels sent directly to warehouses in the EU would be charged a lower fee of 0.50 euros.

Last year, 4.6 billion of small parcels entered the EU market, among which 91 percent came from China.

STAFF REPORTER