Starting July 1, a new €3 fee introduced by the European Union will come into effect, applying to low-cost parcels entering the European market from third countries. The measure is part of a broader effort to combat unfair competition and strengthen consumer protection. The new rule is expected to primarily affect purchases from popular platforms such as Temu, Shein, and AliExpress, though it is not limited to these alone. Orders from online retailers based in the United States or the United Kingdom — such as Amazon and ASOS — may also fall under the same regulations, provided the products are shipped from countries outside the European Union. One important detail: the €3 charge is not applied per order, but per individual item included in the parcel.
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According to the European Union, this temporary measure was deemed necessary because such parcels currently enter the European market without any equivalent financial burden, creating unfair competition for European businesses. EU authorities have also highlighted that the existing framework poses risks related to consumer health and safety, contributes to increased fraud, and places an additional strain on the environment. The decision was made back in December, with implementation now beginning — a move driven in part by the fact that over 90% of low-cost parcels imported into Europe in 2024 originated from China, putting companies such as Temu, Shein, and AliExpress firmly in the spotlight.
The €3 parcel fee: What it means for Amazon, ASOS, and shipments from within the EU
Although the new regulation primarily targets products originating from third countries, the key factor is not where the online store is headquartered, but rather the country from which the product is shipped. This means the new fee does not apply when the shipment is dispatched from a warehouse located within the European Union. For example, a consumer purchasing through Amazon who receives their order from one of the company’s warehouses in Germany, Italy, France, or Spain will not be subject to the new charge.
Similarly, ASOS — following Brexit — has established European distribution centers for shipments to EU member states. As long as an order is fulfilled from these facilities, the surcharge will not apply. However, if a product is shipped directly from the United Kingdom, China, the United States, or any other country outside the European Union, the new rules may apply and the fee could be added. For Greek consumers in particular, this means that most Amazon orders are not expected to be affected, as they are typically fulfilled from warehouses located within EU member states.
In the case of ASOS, most deliveries to Greece are also dispatched from European distribution centers, which significantly reduces the likelihood of the fee being applied. That said, if a shipment is sent directly from a non-EU country, the new rules may still come into play. In short, from July 1 onwards, consumers should pay close attention not only to the online store they are shopping from, but more importantly to the country from which their product is being shipped — as this is the decisive factor in determining whether the new €3 fee will apply.
