EU Adds €2 Customs Fee per Product Category on Temu, Shein

The European Union began charging a new €2 customs handling fee on 1 November, adding to the pressure on low-cost platforms such as Temu, Shein and AliExpress. The fee applies to each product category in a parcel, regardless of the package's value.

According to law firm Garrigues, a category groups goods in a shipment with the same tariff classification, description and, where relevant, origin. Five identical T-shirts would pay the fee once, while an order containing a T-shirt and a watch would pay it twice.

Stacked on the July duty

The charge comes on top of the transitional €3 duty introduced on 1 July, which applies to shipments valued under €150 and runs until July 2028. A 50-cent USB cable would therefore carry €5.50 in charges. Because the new fee ignores parcel value, it targets the small, cheap purchases on which these platforms built their growth.

On paper, the buyer does not pay: the EU treats platforms and online sellers as importers responsible for customs procedures. In practice, they can absorb the cost through promotions or raise prices. After the July duty, one test found Temu and AliExpress added €3.63 including VAT at checkout, while Shein left its total unchanged. Raúl Mínguez of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce expects companies to pass part of the levy on gradually through prices or shipping.

What the numbers show

European Commission sources say small-parcel shipments fell 60% after July, though about five million parcels still reach EU borders every day. In France, Temu's sales volume dropped 50% between June and July and AliExpress's 37%. Dutch customs, a major entry point, recorded a 46% drop in parcels.

The decline may partly reflect a logistics shift: companies reportedly import in bulk and store goods inside the EU for resale, meaning shopping habits could remain unchanged. The European Consumer Organisation BEUC accepts that the fee's logic is to cover control costs. MEP Dirk Gotink, who leads the customs reform in Parliament, said the €3 duty has significantly reduced parcel flows but is not yet enough.

The €2 amount is not final. Brussels will review it every two years based on the real cost of customs controls.