The surge of untaxed and frequently unsafe goods led the European Commission to suggest a temporary measure for packages under €150 a month ago. This “de minimis” rule enables exporters like Shein and Temu to deliver products directly to consumers, often avoiding scrutiny.
The EU has already processed more packages in the first nine months of 2025 than throughout the entire previous year, which saw 4.6 billion packages.
French Finance Minister Roland Lescure described it as “a literal invasion of parcels in Europe last year,” predicting it could reach “7, 8, 9 billion in the coming years if nothing was done.”
An EU official informed POLITICO earlier this month that up to 80 percent of such packages at some airports fail to comply with EU safety regulations, causing a significant workload for customs officials, accumulating waste, and posing health risks from unsafe toys and kitchen items.
EU nations have already resolved to eliminate the de-minimis loophole, but taxing all items based on their true value and product type will demand more data exchange. This will only be feasible once an extensive reform of the bloc’s Customs Union, currently under negotiation, is finalized by 2028. The €3 flat tax acts as the temporary measure to bridge the gap until then.
The increasing popularity of online stores like Shein and Temu, both operating from China, is driving this surge. France halted access to Shein’s online platform this month.
This €3 EU-wide tax will differ from the handling fee proposed by France as part of its national budget to alleviate customs costs associated with this package influx.
Klara Durand and Camille Gijs contributed to this report.
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