EU countries have agreed on taxation of low-value parcels. Three euros will be added for each different item.

BRUSSELS – Cheap parcels entering the EU will be subject to a tax of three euros (approx. CZK 75) per item from next July, finance ministers from all 27 EU countries agreed on Friday. The agreement effectively ends the duty-free status of shipments worth less than €150 (approx. CZK 3,750).

The flat-rate tax will apply to each different type of item in the parcel. If one parcel contains ten soft toys, customs duty will only be applied once. However, if the shipment also contains a charging cable, an additional three euros (approx. CZK 75) will be added.

The flood of untaxed and often dangerous goods prompted the European Commission to propose a temporary solution a month ago for shipments under €150 (approx. CZK 3,750). This „de minimis“ rule allows exporters such as Shein and Temu to send products directly to consumers, often without thorough inspection.

In the first nine months of 2025, the EU received more parcels than in the whole of the previous year, when the number stood at 4.6 billion.

French Minister of Finance Roland Lescure he described it as „literally an invasion of parcels into Europe last year“, that would „in the coming years, it would reach seven, eight, nine billion if nothing were done“.

One EU official told POLITICO earlier this month that at some airports, up to 80 per cent of such shipments do not comply with EU safety rules. This creates a huge burden for customs officials, growing piles of waste and health risks from dangerous toys and kitchen products.

EU countries have already agreed to formally abolish the gap in the de minimis rule, but taxing all items according to their actual value and product type will require more extensive data exchange. This will only be possible once the ambitious reform of the EU Customs Union, which is currently under negotiation and is due to be completed by 2028, has been finalised. A flat-rate tax of three euros (approx. 75 CZK) is a temporary solution to bridge the gap until then.

The growing popularity of e-shops such as Shein and Temu, both operating from China, is further fuelling this surge. France suspended access to the Shein online platform this month.

This Europe-wide tax of three euros (approx. CZK 75) will be different from the so-called handling fee proposed by France as part of its national budget with the aim of relieving customs authorities of the costs associated with handling the same influx of shipments.

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