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Brussels has called for customs fees on small packages ordered online from platforms such as Shein, Temu and Alibaba to be imposed in early 2026, more than two years earlier than scheduled, in an effort to crack down on billions of cheap Chinese imports each year.
The European Commission urged EU finance ministers meeting on Thursday to agree on the faster implementation to protect domestic retailers from unfair competition.
“It is a crucial step in ensuring the European Union bolsters its position in the face of rapidly changing trade realities,” trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič wrote in a letter to the ministers and seen by the Financial Times.
The move “would send a strong signal that Europe is serious about increasing its competitiveness and ensuring fair conditions for its businesses”, he added.
The request to bring forward the removal of beneficial exemptions for the packages to the first quarter of 2026 marks a hardening of the commission’s stance towards China and what it perceives as Beijing’s unfair trade practices. It comes 10 days before a G20 summit at which European leaders are expected to raise trade issues with China’s President Xi Jinping.
France has backed the accelerated timeline, while Dutch finance minister Eelco Heinen told reporters on Thursday that the EU needed to “get a grip” on cheap Chinese parcels.
The commission in May proposed scrapping a €150 threshold for goods on which to pay custom duties, effective from mid-2028, and has also called for introducing a €2 fee per package. Chinese sellers accounted for more than 80 per cent of the 4.6bn parcels purchased by European consumers last year.
“This timeline is incompatible with the urgency of the situation,” Šefčovič wrote in the letter.
“European industries, particularly retailers, have repeatedly underlined that this distortion of competition be removed without delay. It will be extremely difficult to explain to our businesses and citizens why the EU cannot act faster.”
Cai Run, China’s ambassador to the EU, did not mention the move in a speech in Brussels on Thursday but warned of the “politicisation” of trade and rise of “protectionism”.
He said trade frictions were inevitable but should be tackled through dialogue, and called for a “fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment”.
EU capitals will need to agree on the new timeline and negotiate the flat customs fee to be imposed. Some countries, including Romania, have recently imposed national fees of up to €5, forcing the commission’s hand.
“This is not a technical matter, it is a question of Europe’s capacity to act in defence of its economic interests,” Šefčovič added. “A modern, competitive Europe must be able to . . . better protect its border for goods and uphold fair competition.”
