EU’s €3 parcel levy cuts low-value shipments by nearly half, customs data show
The number of low-value parcels arriving in Europe has fallen by nearly 50% since July 1, when the European Union began charging a temporary €3 flat fee on shipments valued below €150, according to customs data from the Netherlands and Belgium.
The figures offer the first significant evidence that the levy is changing the economics of cross-border e-commerce, particularly for Chinese platforms that have flooded the single market with inexpensive goods. Belgian authorities recorded a 53% year-over-year drop in small parcels, while Dutch customs reported a 46% decline in e-commerce packages, especially those from China. Together, the two countries account for almost half of all low-value parcels entering the EU from outside the bloc.
Dutch customs cautioned, however, that the decline may not tell the whole story. “More and more companies appear to be opting for bulk import and storage within the EU to resell their goods to consumers from there,” the agency said in a September statement, adding that it would investigate further.
The temporary charge was introduced after policymakers raised alarms about the growing dominance of Chinese e-commerce in Europe and the resulting surge in low-value packages. European Commission data show that €4.6 billion worth of items valued under €150 were imported into the EU in 2024—an average of 12 million parcels per day. That was up sharply from €2.3 billion in 2023 and €1.4 billion in 2022.
The sheer volume of packages, combined with the fragmented nature of Europe’s customs system, has made effective monitoring difficult. Better checks could help block illegal or unsafe products, which already pose a major problem across the continent. A 2025 peer-reviewed laboratory study published in Contact Dermatitis analyzed 111 clothing items in Italy and the EU and found that 63% contained carcinogenic, endocrine-disrupting, or sensitizing chemicals. Greenpeace and the European Consumer Organization have reported similar findings.
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“The temporary €3 import duty that has been in force since July 1 has already significantly reduced the flow of parcels, but we are not there yet,” Dutch MEP Dirk Gotink, who is responsible for customs reform on behalf of the European Parliament, told Euronews.
“With the new law, the EU and national customs authorities will finally receive the tools to effectively protect businesses and consumers,” Gotink said. “European customs work will also be modernized, with a single central data hub, a European Customs Authority in Lille, more risk-based checks, and closer cooperation between authorities.”
Gotink was referring to a broader customs overhaul the EU is preparing in order to make it easier to track goods entering from outside the bloc. As part of the reform, the EU plans to establish a data hub in the French city of Lille, where customs information would be collected and analyzed. The new European Customs Authority is expected to be operational by 2028.
For now, the parcel levy remains a temporary measure—but its early impact suggests that Brussels is willing to use trade policy to slow the flood of cheap imports and force platforms to adapt their logistics. Whether the drop in parcel numbers reflects a lasting decline or simply a shift toward bulk warehousing inside the EU is likely to be a key question in the months ahead.