Europe's new import rules are coming for your bargains

Last week, a small customs fee landed in the EU that may have outsized consequences. Imports of single items from outside the EU are now hit with a new €3 duty, a rule that affects a range of people including electronics hobbyists and techies who prefer their printer toner off-brand.

The seller or importer is generally responsible for declaring and paying the duty, but folks who build electronics projects, among others, are concerned that the so-called "Temu tax" might lead to a broad hike in parts prices.

Designed to fend off a massive explosion in single, low-value items being shipped from China, the €3 duty has applied to all parcels valued at less than €150 entering the EU since July 1.

Previously, anything that cost less than €150 fell under the "de minimis" exemption and came in duty-free. The effective scrapping of the threshold is intended to "reduce differences" in how cheap e-commerce (direct imports of single parcels up to €150) and traditional retail (bulk goods imports) are treated. It is charged per category of goods, not per parcel. So buy five USB cables, pay €3. Buy a microcontroller, a relay module, and a USB cable – that's €9 in duty that the seller/s must pay before it goes in your basket.

While the new rule is aimed at foreign giants like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress, major European hybrid marketplaces that allow third-party sellers to ship directly from third countries (without stopping at a local warehouse) will also be affected.

That includes Amazon, especially its Amazon Haul proposition. Jeff Bezos' internet retail giant first cooked up the platform to lure customers back from discount retailers like Temu, TikTok Shop, and Shein.

Amazon rolled out the dedicated storefront to international markets, including Europe, in 2025. Customers can use Haul inside the app or site for "extreme-discount" items priced at €20 or less. The platform focuses on price over fast delivery, with most items shipping directly from manufacturers in China. Over on Amazon Seller Central, it is telling sellers who use its Haul and other parts of the platform that the "€3 customs duty, mandated under EU law, will apply per item/tariff line in the customs declaration. This duty will apply to Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) and Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM) customer shipments shipped directly from outside the EU to consumers in the EU."

The Register asked Amazon for comment.

Why the new duty?

The idea is to improve safety controls, reduce the burden on beleaguered customs staff, and boost local businesses.

However, anyone familiar with the gigantic e-commerce marketplaces now attached to many European businesses will know that these companies will also be affected by the new €3 customs duty. Many major European retail giants, for example, allow international merchants to sell products directly to EU consumers via their online platforms. This also helps them appear more flexible with supply chain stocking without having to fill their own warehouses with excess stock.

Speaking about these third country sellers, MEPs said the law would help "incentivize" non-EU traders to ship their items to customers from warehouses inside the EU, so controls in warehouses on EU territory may be easier to carry out. Reuters has noted that Chinese e-commerce giant Shein had already been preparing for the change by "expanding warehouse space in Wrocław, Poland, and ⁠shipping more products to the EU in bulk."

The Reg asked Shein, Temu, and AliExpress for comment, but none had responded at the time of publication.

Safety is also an issue. The European Commission has noted that many of the small parcels that flew under the de minimis radar contained "products that do not meet EU safety standards or are undervalued or falsely declared to avoid customs duties." In May this year, Temu was fined €200 million ($232 million) for breaking the EU rules around the sale of dangerous products under the EU's Digital Services Act. Temu said at the time that it "respects the objectives" of the DSA and the "need for clear, consistent rules across the digital economy. However, we disagree with the European Commission's decision and consider the fine to be disproportionate."

Winners and losers

Toner and ink industry giants like HP Inc and others will doubtless be pleased. Tonernews has noted that "for the printer industry, this could be especially significant as low-cost Chinese compatible toner cartridges have long undercut OEMs and legitimate remanufacturers on price. While many aftermarket cartridges are produced responsibly, critics argue that bargain-basement toner sold through overseas marketplaces has fueled a race to the bottom, making it harder for compliant manufacturers to compete on quality, safety, environmental standards, and intellectual property."

Electronics and computing hobbyists, on the other hand, are not happy. If you're ordering an ESP32 board (a popular microcontroller SoC that's especially forgiving to newbies) plus some sensors, connectors, relays, and cables – all inexpensive components if you look at them individually – the charges could add up quickly. The fee applies per product category rather than per shipment, meaning the extra costs could quickly exceed the value of the parts.

Over on Reddit, one hobbyist complained: "It's just one more nail in the coffin for repairing your stuff with spare parts you can't even get in Europe."

A post on the AliExpress subreddit grumbled: "The biggest problem is that we literally can't get electronic parts in here. Those little chips are only found on AliExpress. Can't find them anywhere in the EU. Like for clothing sure. But not for electronic hobby parts."

Another opined: "In case of AliExpress it would be… protectionism if it protected local (European) manufacturers. In this case it protects a middleman, who buys exactly the same things somewhere from China and then sells it on the local market, while producing nothing."

Other critics, such as Irish Teachta Dála (member of parliament) Pearse Doherty, argue that the €3 charge acts as a regressive tax against working-class shoppers. Doherty says of the law: "For many households, buying everyday items online has become a normal part of life. They should not be faced with unfair additional charges simply for purchasing the goods they need. The government must intervene and press for these changes to be stopped and reworked to ensure people and families are protected."

As for the EU itself, its customs officials, at least, can be seen (broadly) as winners here. Before the rule came in last week, every single individual package entering the EU had to be checked – leading to a hidden cost to the bloc itself and its taxpayers. It makes sense that the bloc would want these companies to ship in bulk so it doesn't have to spend a disproportionate amount of time – and staff labor – checking every incoming package.

While it would make sense for a portion of the new customs revenue to go directly toward hiring more customs agents, it will instead flow back in the bloc more generally, an EU representative told The Register, confirming an FAQ page: 75 percent of the revenue "will flow into the EU budget and 25 percent will be retained by Member States to reinforce national priorities."

Brits worry UK will becoming a dumping ground

The bloc's move comes after the US ended its own "de minimis" exemption for China imports in 2025. Currently in the UK, goods worth less than £135 (€157) can enter without customs duty being charged. But the UK rule will be only be phased out in March 2029. Some fear the delay in the UK law means the country will become a dumping ground for cheap Chinese goods.

Paul Monaghan, chief executive at the Fair Tax Foundation, told the UK Treasury Committee last week: "This de minimis thing in the UK where there is no customs duty on anything under £135… is leading to this massive flush of imports. The UK is going to get rid of it in about two and a half years.

"The US has already got rid of it. The EU gets rid of [July 1]. The number of cheap goods flooding the UK has already doubled in 12 months. Everything that was in the US and Europe is coming into this country in the next 12 months."

Only a few days after billions of low-value parcels became subject to new customs charges and tighter scrutiny, some Euro techies have signaled that bargain hunting on Temu and AliExpress hasn't yet been heavily affected, possibly because the businesses have adjusted their shipping and warehousing models, but a general price increase is expected. ®