Europe's New €3 Import Tax on Small Parcels Explained

Last year, 4.6 billion small parcels valued under €150 entered the EU, with 91 percent originating from China. Under the new rules, the €3 charge applies per product category within a single shipment. An order containing three identical T-shirts incurs one €3 fee, while a package with a T-shirt, shoes, and shampoo triggers a €9 charge. While the tax is technically levied on sellers, companies may pass the cost to consumers or absorb the expense to remain competitive.

Some retailers are already pivoting by shipping goods in bulk to internal EU warehouses, bypassing the duty by treating subsequent deliveries as domestic shipments. While the tax provides a modest boost to European competitiveness, its primary function is to offset the administrative burden on customs authorities. With billions of parcels processed annually, the revenue could exceed €13.8 billion. This measure remains a stopgap, as the EU prepares a more comprehensive tariff overhaul scheduled for 2028.