A new EU customs fee has led to a fall in low-value online purchases arriving in Finland from outside the bloc, with the number of imported item lines dropping 76.3 per cent in July compared with the same month last year.

Finnish Customs data show the number also fell 66.5 per cent from June, marking a change after two years of growth in low-value ecommerce imports.

The fee took effect at the beginning of July and applies to goods ordered from outside the EU. The measure targets imports worth no more than €150, a category dominated by purchases from Chinese online platforms.

Chinese shipments accounted for 98.5 per cent of all low-value item lines imported into Finland during the first half of 2026, according to Finnish Customs. They represented 89.9 per cent of the total value.

The average value of an item line imported from China was €5.03. By comparison, imports from Britain averaged €35.39 and those from the United States €42.99.

Textiles accounted for 28.1 per cent of low-value imports between January and June. Footwear and headwear represented 12.6 per cent, while plastic and rubber products accounted for 10.1 per cent.

The July decline followed a period when platforms selling low-cost goods from China gained a larger share of Finnish online spending.

The number of low-value item lines increased 46 per cent in 2025 compared with 2024, according to Finnish Customs. Growth continued during the first six months of 2026, when the total rose 11 per cent year-on-year, before reversing in July.

The new system adds a customs charge of at least €3 to goods ordered from outside the EU.

Finnish Customs recorded more than 50 million low-cost parcels arriving from outside the EU last year. Most originated in China and included purchases from online platforms such as Temu and Shein.

The fee followed a rise in low-cost imports into Europe during the past four years. EU figures show around 1.4 billion low-value items entered the bloc in 2022. By 2025 that figure had reached 5.8 billion.

The EU is due to consider further changes to product rules, market surveillance and consumer protection during the autumn.

HT