cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/10409995

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As of July 1, 2026, the outdated duty exemption for shipments under 150 euros was eliminated [by new EU regulations]. Goods originating from third countries are now subject to a fixed customs fee of 3 euros per category within a package.

This measure aims to relieve the system, level the playing field for European entrepreneurs, and curb the negative trade balance. The fees are collected directly from the e-commerce platforms, not from consumers upon delivery, shifting the responsibility onto the major players rather than customs authorities.

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This decision is also driven by safety concerns. Studies from 2025 proved that over 60 percent of low-value goods from third countries do not meet EU safety standards, often containing toxic ingredients. The new regulations introduce an obligation to declare Product Identifiers (PID), which will make it easier to catch risky goods. Initially voluntary, this will become mandatory from November 2026.

As Patrycja Sass-Staniszewska, president of the Chamber of Digital Economy, points out, Polish and European companies have spent enormous sums (in Poland, around 171.5 billion PLN) to comply with EU requirements, such as GDPR, DAC7, or the Omnibus Directive, while Asian competition has so far remained outside this strict regime.

The 3-euro fee is merely a temporary measure. Ultimately, in July 2028, the EU Customs Data Hub will be launched, introducing fully automated standard customs rates, definitively closing the era of operational loopholes.

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The Chinese counterattack, or logistics evolution

EU regulations have hit hard, but it would be naive to think that Asian corporations will simply give up on the lucrative European market. Arkadiusz Filipowski from Fulfilio notes that feverish work is underway to adjust supply chains. Big tech from China is already implementing four fundamental strategies to successfully adapt to Brussels’ new policy.

The key move is shifting to a model of full warehouse support within the EU territory. Instead of sending millions of separate, duty-burdened packages directly from Shenzhen, goods are flowing into Europe in containers as bulk cargo.

Taxes and duties are paid collectively at EU borders, and giants like Shein or Temu are renting hundreds of thousands of square meters of warehouse space, particularly in western Poland and Hungary. As a result, a package for which the customer does not have to pay the new 3-euro fee reaches them from a Polish warehouse in 24-48 hours.

Another tactic is looking for logistics loopholes and geographical “border hopping.” This method exploits loopholes in the form of Western Balkan states and 14+1 format participants that remain outside the European Union. Goods land via cargo planes in Serbia, Albania, or Bosnia and Herzegovina, where they are subject to more lenient regulations. After being repackaged and given local labels, they enter the EU by land through less stringent border crossings.

The final element is an aggressive price war consisting of cost subsidization by major market players (such as PDD Holdings, the owner of Temu). Platforms take the burden of the new customs fees upon themselves or hide them in the product’s price, simultaneously offering virtual discount coupons. In clearance systems like IOSS (Import One-Stop Shop), there is still manipulation of customs values and goods categorization, allowing for additional minimization of fees. All of this is done so that the costs on the consumer’s side in the mobile app appear untouched.

Brussels, after years of dormancy, has decided to close the gates on the wave of Asian shipments. The introduced changes have caused immediate shock, but the Chinese trade ecosystem has already begun its counteroffensive. The coming months will show whether the EU consumer will unlearn buying the cheapest products, or if the transport routes will simply change.

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