The European Commission is preparing to introduce a €2 handling fee on online parcels entering the EU as part of a sweeping overhaul of its customs system, aimed at managing the billions of low-value items flooding into the bloc—primarily from China-based e-commerce giants such as Shein, Temu, and Alibaba.
The proposed fee is intended to support customs authorities in processing and verifying the compliance of goods with EU safety standards, particularly on items such as toys and electronics, and to improve the effectiveness of border checks.
The handling fee, equivalent to $2.27, would apply to parcels shipped directly to customers outside the EU. For shipments fulfilled from warehouses within the EU, a reduced €0.50 fee is proposed.
EU customs processed 4.6 billion low-value parcels in 2024—more than 12 million items per day—with an estimated 91% of these originating from China. This figure is more than double the volume recorded in 2023, underlining the scale and rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce into Europe.
As part of broader reforms announced in February, the Commission has also proposed scrapping the €150 duty-free threshold for imports, removing the exemption that currently allows many lower-priced products to enter the EU market without incurring customs duties.
The new handling charge would be levied on online retailers, not consumers, and would not appear as a separate cost on customer delivery invoices. The aim, according to EU officials, is to make major international e-commerce platforms pay a fair share for the customs infrastructure they heavily rely on.
The proposal, still in draft form, will need approval from both EU member states and the European Parliament.
Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee, defended the plans, saying they were necessary to fund more robust inspections and ensure consumer safety.
“With 4.6 billion packages, you can’t really have proper controls. To introduce them costs money, and therefore it’s fair to ask Alibaba, Temu or Shein to pay their fair share of the cost,” Lange said.
The proposed reforms reflect increasing EU scrutiny of Chinese e-commerce platforms, amid concerns over product safety, unfair competition, and VAT avoidance. The handling fee is part of the Commission’s broader ambition to create a more level playing field for EU retailers and domestic logistics firms, many of whom argue they face higher regulatory and tax burdens.
If approved, the handling fee could reshape the cost structure for cross-border e-commerce into the EU and potentially prompt platforms to adjust their pricing or shipping strategies to absorb or pass on the new costs.
The proposal comes as the EU continues to refine its post-pandemic trade and customs policy, balancing consumer access to global e-commerce with regulatory enforcement, market fairness, and safety compliance.
