To curb the influx of ultra-low-cost Chinese products, the European Union has decided to impose additional fees on direct overseas purchases.
According to outlets like AFP on local time November 2, the European Union has been levying a handling fee of 2 euros per item category on e-commerce goods coming from outside the bloc starting from November 1.
The new fee applies regardless of the product price, and it is charged based on the customs classification of the items rather than the number of individual goods contained in a package.
For example, a package containing 10 T-shirts will incur a 2-euro fee, but if it contains 10 T-shirts and 5 hats together, they are classified as different items, resulting in a total fee of 4 euros.
The issue is that existing customs duties are still applied separately.
Previously, the EU began levying a temporary customs duty of 3 euros per item category on cross-border e-commerce goods valued under 150 euros starting last July.
With this new 2-euro fee added on top, products in that price range could face a total cost of 5 euros per item category.
Furthermore, since this amount excludes value-added taxes or separate shipping costs, the burden on businesses is expected to increase.
The background behind the EU strengthening regulations on direct overseas purchases is the explosive growth of low-cost goods originating from China.
According to data from the European Commission, low-cost e-commerce parcels flowing into the European Union reached approximately 6 billion units last year.
Among them, about 93% were tallied as being shipped from China.
The EU explains that the surge in low-cost imports driven by Chinese online platforms such as Temu, Shein, and AliExpress has increased the burden of customs inspection and clearance operations.
The EU explains that the new fees are designed to be borne by import-related businesses such as online platforms, sellers, and logistics companies rather than consumers. However, concerns are rising that the actual burden may fall back on consumers as companies are likely to reflect the increased costs in selling prices or shipping fees.
Reported by Jung Da-eun | Video by Seo Byeong-wook | Graphics by Lee Jeong-ju | Produced by SBS Digital News
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