No more exemptions for parcels from abroad worth less than €150. The decision, taken on 13th November by the Member States’ Finance Ministers, is a response to the boom in shipments from China with Temu, Shein and Aliexpress.
The Italian Manufacturing Industry & Private Enterprise Confederation is delighted. It sees the abolition of customs exemptions, due to come into effect in 2028, to be an undeniable step forward.
According to data from the European Commission, 4.6 billion parcels worth less than €150 entered the EU in 2024, compared to 2.4 billion in 2023 and 1.4 billion in 2022, representing an unprecedented increase.
According to Confimi Industria, “this explosion in flows is largely fuelled by a small number of Chinese online retailers of low-cost and (ultra) fast fashion products who, ignoring the principles of fair competition, are damaging European businesses and putting consumers at risk. In addition, there are the environmental impacts, which are far from negligible: from the consumption of resources in manufacturing countries to the management, in destination countries, of the huge quantities of waste generated, including chemicals and microplastics. The European decision therefore represents a positive step towards restoring fair competitive conditions and protecting the environment and consumers.”
Translation by Giles Foster
