The European Commission is tightening customs controls on parcels arriving from China from online retailers such as Shein and Temu. A European Union e-commerce action plan — ‘A Comprehensive EU Toolbox for Safe and Sustainable E-commerce’ — has been proposed with an aim to curb the influx of “dangerous products” into the EU market.
The Commission is also urging EU lawmakers to eliminate the current exemption on customs duties for parcels valued under 150 euros, which allows foreign companies to sell goods cheaply within the bloc without paying import taxes.
The Commission highlighted concerns that many of the billions of low-value products entering the EU annually do not comply with its safety and regulatory standards. This puts European businesses that adhere to these rules at a disadvantage against competitors selling unsafe or counterfeit goods.
“The rise in e-commerce imports to the EU market has brought with it many challenges,” said European Commission Vice-President Henna Virkkunen.
“The EU is ready to address these challenges, coming together as Team Europe to make sure citizens and businesses can continue to enjoy the many benefits of online shopping, while minimising the risks of dangerous products that threaten the health and safety of consumers,” she added.

Threefold increase in low-value parcels entering the EU

According to a report by Politico, in 2024, 4.6 billion low-value parcels entered the EU, a threefold increase from the previous year. Over 91% of parcels valued under 150 euros originated from China, where companies like Shein and Temu manufacture and ship most of their products.
Apart from calling on the EU lawmakers to remove the duty exemption on imports under 150 euros and suggesting imposing handling fees on retailers to cover the costs of ensuring compliance with EU regulations, the Commission announced it will collaborate with national customs authorities across the EU’s 27 member states to focus on unsafe products sold online, including increased market surveillance and product testing.
The Commission also informed Shein about the launch of a coordinated action.
The EU executives also expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the surge in cheap imports, citing pollution from production and transport, as well as the challenges posed to European recycling systems by low-quality, toxic, or difficult-to-recycle products.

Action against Temu last year

Last October, the Commission initiated legal action against Temu, a Chinese online marketplace, over concerns about the sale of illegal products on its platform. A consumer group BEUC raised alarms about dangerous products sold by Temu, including unsafe children’s toys, hazardous electric heaters, mislabeled sunscreens and cosmetics, and inadequate motorcycle helmets.