EU Tightens Customs Control on Low-Value Imports

The European Union (EU) has recently approved a major reform of its customs system, particularly focusing on e-commerce goods and low-value shipments imported into the region. These new changes are expected to significantly impact import costs, customs procedures, and international e-commerce activities.

EU to Remove Tax Exemption for Shipments Under 150 EUR

One of the most important changes is that the European Union plans to remove the import duty exemption for shipments valued under 150 EUR. Previously, this regulation strongly supported the growth of cross-border e-commerce, as many small orders were shipped directly from overseas into the EU without import duties.

However, the EU believes that this policy has allowed a massive volume of low-value goods to enter the region, making it difficult to control taxes and product quality. According to statistics, the number of low-value e-commerce parcels entering the EU has reached billions of packages each year.

E-commerce Platforms Will Be Responsible as Importers

Under the new reform, e-commerce platforms selling goods into the EU will be considered importers and will be responsible for:

• Paying import duties
• Complying with product safety standards
• Ensuring product quality
• Submitting customs declarations
• Providing product traceability

If companies violate EU regulations, they may face fines ranging from 1% to 6% of their sales revenue in the EU market over the previous 12 months. This is considered a relatively high penalty aimed at tightening control over imported goods through e-commerce.

EU Plans to Apply Handling Fees for Low-Value Shipments

In addition to removing the duty exemption for shipments under 150 EUR, the EU also plans to apply a handling fee of around 3 EUR per imported e-commerce order. This fee is intended to cover the cost of customs inspections, product safety control, and processing the large volume of small imported parcels entering the region.

At the same time, the EU is also developing a centralized customs data system to better manage imported goods, especially e-commerce shipments.

Impact on Exporters and Logistics Companies

Changes in EU customs policies may create several major impacts on exporters and logistics companies:

• Import costs into the EU may increase
• Customs clearance time may become longer
• Documentation and customs declaration requirements will become stricter
• Stronger product quality control
• E-commerce companies must take importer responsibility
• Demand for customs and compliance services will increase

These changes will particularly affect exporters of consumer goods, cosmetics, dietary supplements, electronics, and e-commerce products entering the EU market.

Conclusion: Future Trends in Customs Management

The EU customs reform shows a major trend in international trade today: countries are increasing control over imported goods, especially e-commerce shipments and low-value consignments. Customs authorities are no longer only inspecting at borders but are shifting toward data management, product traceability, and post-clearance audits.