【Text by Observers Network, Qi Qian】

The EU has been sharpening its knives for small imported parcels recently, targeting Chinese e-commerce.

According to reports from Bloomberg and European News, on the afternoon of November 13th, under the push of countries such as France and Germany, EU member state finance ministers held a meeting and agreed to quickly impose taxes on import parcels valued below 150 euros (approximately RMB 1225.1).

The report said that before the meeting, German Finance Minister Lars Leklinbier made a shocking statement, claiming "we don't want Chinese garbage." He also said, "We want to protect our own market, and I want to do this as soon as possible."

German Finance Minister Klinbier (center) with Chancellor Merkel, German media

"This is a decisive moment," said Maros Sefcovic, the EU Commissioner responsible for trade and economic security, after the meeting, stating that the finance ministers reached a "political agreement" to cancel the minimum tax exemption limit for import parcels. He said, "This sends a strong signal to the world that Europe takes fair competition seriously and is committed to protecting its companies' interests."

According to Sefcovic, under the demands of national leaders and European businesses, especially retailers, the EU is determined to accelerate the process and aims to end the tax-free policy for small parcels by the end of next year, rather than the previously expected 2028.

Sefcovic mentioned that the commission seeks practical and quickly implementable temporary solutions before the decision officially takes effect.

The report said that EU countries need to reach an agreement on the new timeline and negotiate details such as fixed customs fees to be implemented. It is expected that the 27 member states will hold another meeting in December this year to reach an agreement on the temporary system.

After the finance minister's meeting on the 13th, Sefcovic issued a statement, screenshot of a tweet

In recent years, Chinese e-commerce apps like Temu and Shein have developed rapidly around the world. According to data from research company Sensor Tower, in 2024, Temu became the most downloaded mobile e-commerce application globally, with downloads reaching 550 million, followed by Shein.

Previously, some foreign media believed that the business model of Chinese e-commerce benefits from the "minimum exemption", which means that parcels below a certain quantity or value are exempt from tariffs in the destination country. However, in addition to Chinese e-commerce, American retailers such as Amazon and Walmart also use this mechanism to import goods.

As Temu and Shein develop rapidly, these two e-commerce platforms have become thorns in the eyes of Western governments.

The US government took the initiative, ending the tax-free policy for small parcels (valued below $800) in August. However, many Chinese merchants say that they expect costs for sales to the US to increase, but they have already established warehouses in the US in advance to buffer the impact.

At the same time, the EU and Japan plan to follow the example of the United States and target small parcels.

Number of low-value imported e-commerce goods entering the EU in 2024, Financial Times map

In May, the EU announced plans to cancel the tax exemption policy for small parcels valued below 150 euros. Instead, the EU will charge a uniform fee of 2 euros (approximately 16.335 yuan) per parcel annually; if the small parcels are first transported to warehouses within the EU for storage, a fee of 0.5 euros (approximately 4.084 yuan) per parcel will be charged.

The Financial Times reported recently that the majority of small parcels covered by the EU's proposed new regulations come from China, which may have a new impact on the operations of Chinese cross-border e-commerce companies like Temu and Shein. Data shows that 4.6 billion such small parcels entered the EU last year, of which 91% originated from China, and the number is expected to continue to grow.

However, EU countries such as France and Germany are impatient for 2028 and are urging the EU to take action as soon as possible.

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure stated before the finance ministers' meeting on the 13th: "I very much hope we can make progress on this issue tomorrow." He said he hopes the tax increase policy can "take effect as soon as possible in 2026, even hoping it can take effect at the beginning of 2026."

It is worth noting that the French government has recently turned its attention to Shein, suspending its online business operations in the country. In response, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning stated on July 7th: "As a principle, the Chinese government has always required enterprises to operate in accordance with laws and regulations and fulfill social responsibilities. Of course, we also hope that relevant parties will abide by the principles of a market economy and provide a fair, just, and transparent business environment for enterprises from all countries."

The Financial Times mentioned that in this context, Sefcovic had written to the finance ministers before the meeting, urging them to agree to accelerate the cancellation of the small parcel tax exemption policy. In his letter, he said that the previous schedule was "not in line with the urgency of the current situation."

Regarding the EU's repeated efforts to target small parcels from China, Mao Ning pointed out in May: "I can tell you that China has always believed that creating an open and inclusive international trade environment is in the common interest of all parties. We hope that the EU will uphold its commitment to openness, provide Chinese enterprises with a fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory business environment, and create favorable conditions for Sino-European economic and trade cooperation."

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7572391147536941608/

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