Parcels piled up at the Belgian post office [Reuters Yonhap News] 사진 확대

Parcels piled up at the Belgian post office [Reuters Yonhap News]

The European Union (EU) has decided to impose tariffs on low-cost packages from overseas as early as next year to cope with a surge in imports of ultra-low-priced e-commerce from China.

EU finance ministers held a meeting in Brussels on the 13th (local time) and agreed to abolish the duty-free benefits applied to parcels under 150 euros (about 255,000 won) and impose tariffs on low-cost parcels. After that, the relevant procedures will be discussed with the European Parliament.

EU Trade and Economic Security Commissioner Marosi Scheftovich proposed abolishing tax exemption for online transactions under 150 euros two years earlier than originally planned and imposing “simplified temporary customs fees” in the first quarter of next year. The proposal was passed through a vote by the finance ministers of member states, Reuters and others said.

The move is interpreted as a move aimed at the ultra-low-priced offensive of Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Shein, Temu, and Alibaba. “We can no longer neglect the distortion of competition that threatens the European retail industry,” said Chefchowicz, a member of the executive committee.

According to AFP, 4.6 billion low-cost packages entered Europe last year, 91% of which came from China. The number is expected to increase further this year.

European countries also welcomed the agreement and urged that tax-free abolition measures should be implemented quickly.

The Financial Times (FT) previously reported that the EU has abolished the duty-free of parcels under 150 euros and is preparing to impose a fee of 2 euros (about 3,400 won) per parcel from mid-2028.

However, there is also skepticism about whether the two-euro fee will have a substantial effect. “The market is bound to adapt,” said Poste Italiane, CEO of Italian postal service company. “It is difficult to reduce the consumer appeal of Chinese platforms with 1 to 2 euros.”

Alessandr Bongfar, president of the French Retailers Federation, also said the €2 fee was “just a joke.”