The European Union’s finance ministers, the ECOFIN Council, approved today the elimination of the exemption from tariffs on packages imported to Europe valued under €150. Specifically, the EU hopes to implement this measure from the first quarter of 2026, aimed at addressing the massive influx of Chinese products ordered on platforms like Temu and Shein that do not comply with European regulations.
Read: Tax begins on Shein and Temu – End of cheap shopping
The measure was proposed in February by the European Commission and was initially set to be implemented in mid-2028, alongside the customs union reform, a massive harmonization and data-sharing project between member countries. However, member states and the Commission want to move faster and implement it from the first quarter of 2026, through a transitional system expected to be approved at the upcoming ministerial meeting on December 12.
ECOFIN Council: Shein and Temu in the crosshairs
The taxation of these small packages is also expected to be accompanied by processing fees for each small package entering the EU, most of which originate from Chinese platforms like Shein or Temu. The amount of these fees has not yet been determined, but Brussels proposed in May that it should reach two euros per package. The EU hopes to implement this measure from late 2026.
