The European Commission has announced its intention to significantly change the rules for online orders from Chinese platforms like Temu, AliExpress, Shein, and others. These changes officially mark the end of the era of super-cheap packages that have been arriving in the EU for years without customs duties or additional fees.
Reasons for these changes:
a huge flow of cheap Chinese goods into the EU;
complaints from European manufacturers and retailers about unfair competition;
low product quality — according to experts, 96% of goods from China do not meet European standards;
the EU's inability to quickly adapt to market changes.
Currently, all packages from outside the EU worth up to 150 euros are not taxed with customs duties — only VAT is paid. Chinese platforms widely use this.
In May, the EU already proposed:
from 2028, to cancel the exemption up to €150,
and introduce a single tax of €2 for all small shipments.
But now it has become clear that the European Union is not ready to wait until 2028.
In a letter to finance ministers, Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič urged them to approve a temporary solution as early as next year, i.e., from 2026.
The letter does not specify the exact amount, but it is proposed to:
introduce a temporary simplified customs fee,
improve IT system integration between countries.
The decision is to be agreed upon at the meeting of EU finance ministers on December 12, 2025.
The statement also proposes to start implementation in 2026 to avoid waiting several years.
Some EU members are already taking their own measures. For example, Romania has introduced a €5 fee for cheap packages.
In Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and neighboring countries, orders from AliExpress and Temu have become extremely popular — from clothing to electronics. But from 2026, all packages up to €150 will be subject to a new fee, which, according to preliminary estimates, will be several euros per shipment.
