EU imposes €3 charge, ends duty-free entry for low-value imports; higher prices likely for shoppers

Europe on Wednesday took a first step towards curbing what it calls unfair competition from online retailers such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress by imposing a €3 fee on low-value e-commerce imports from China that previously entered the bloc duty-free.

The move is another setback for platforms that used customs exemptions to sell goods at ultra-low prices, fuelling rapid growth and prompting complaints from retailers and policymakers. The US, their biggest market, ended its “de minimis” exemption for imports from China in May and for all imports at the end of August.