New EU customs duty on small parcels takes effect today

The European Union introduced a temporary customs duty of three euros per item today on small parcels worth up to 150 euros imported from third countries. The measure aims to tackle unfair competition and strengthen safety checks on e-commerce products.

The duty will remain in place until 2028, when a full overhaul of the EU customs system is expected. It mainly affects purchases from popular Asian platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress, though it may also apply to orders from other...