The EU will introduce a temporary $3.42 customs duty on imported low-value parcels, mainly using e-commerce, from July 1.
These include many product types, including apparel, worth up to $171.
Many such parcels contain products not meeting EU safety standards or are undervalued or falsely declared.
The exemption now gives non-EU sellers an unfair advantage over those that manufacture or sell in the EU.
Many such low-value parcels contain products that do not meet EU safety standards or are undervalued or falsely declared to avoid customs duties.
At the same time, the current customs duty exemption gives non-EU sellers an unfair advantage over businesses that manufacture or sell products in the EU, a release from the European Commission said.
The new duty will apply per item, based on tariff classification and not quantity. The seller or importer will be responsible for declaring and paying the duty as part of the customs process.
The new measure will help create fairer competition for EU businesses, better protect consumers from unsafe products, tackle customs fraud, and address environmental concerns over mass shipping, the release noted.
The EU is working to modernise customs procedures to strengthen the single market and ensure that all businesses selling into the EU compete on equal terms while meeting the EU’s safety and compliance standards.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
