EU customs authorities handled some 4.6 billion low-value packages bought online in 2024, 91% of them coming from China and a doubling from 2023.
The fee needs approval from EU governments, which have not yet discussed it, and the European Parliament. France called for such a measure last month.
“With 4.6 billion packages, you can’t really have proper controls and to introduce it costs a lot of money and therefore it’s fair to ask Alibaba, Temu or Shein to pay their fair share of the cost,“ Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee, told reporters on Wednesday.
China’s foreign ministry said it hoped the EU would abide by its commitment to openness and “provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese firms”.
The United States this month scrapped its “de minimis” policy that allowed duty-free entry to parcels worth less than $800.
Online retailer Zalando, which sells branded clothes in 25 European countries, told Reuters it welcomed the fee proposal, but said the removal of the customs exemption threshold should be fast-tracked.
Europe’s biggest fast-fashion retailer, Zara owner Inditex, declined to comment on the fee plan.
In a BBC interview earlier this month, Inditex CEO Oscar Garcia Maceiras backed the removal of the duty-free policy to ensure a “level playing field” with the same rules for all competitors.
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