【Text by Observers Network, Liu Chenghui】

On July 2nd local time, Alexandre Bompard, CEO of French retail giant Carrefour, told RTL Morning News on French television that the EU's plan to charge a 2-euro fee for low-value packages is "just a joke" and suggested imposing a 100% tariff on these packages like US President Trump.

He also urged the EU to strengthen control over Chinese packages and implement it immediately, as retailers and distributors are disappearing every day because of Chinese goods.

Bompard is also the chairman of the French Federation of Commerce and Distribution (FCD), an employer organization representing most mass retail sectors.

He told RTL Television that he fights against low prices every day, and the EU's plan "is just a joke." "We should impose the 'Trump tax,' which means taxing packages at 100% of their value. There are limits to pursuing low prices at any cost," he said.

He also urged the EU to accelerate this charging plan.

"If low prices mean the disappearance of toy manufacturers, textile manufacturers, small retailers, and specialty retailers, as well as high ecological costs, we can't afford such costs. It's too high," he said.

"We need to take action on these products, not tomorrow, not in 2027, because every day, retailers and distributors are disappearing due to Chinese goods," he added.

CEO of French retail giant Carrefour, Alexandre Bompard, gives an interview to RTL Morning News on French television

The French Senate unanimously passed a bill on June 10 aimed at curbing the rise of "fast fashion" represented by low-cost brands such as Shein. China is the main target of this bill. The Senate also passed an unexpected clause: a tax of 2 to 4 euros will be imposed on small packages sent from companies outside the EU. This move aims to expand the scope of taxation, targeting another Asian e-commerce giant Temu.

According to Reuters, the EU announced in May that it plans to cancel the policy of exempting small parcels with a value below 150 euros (about RMB 1,225.1 yuan, the same below) from import duties.

Instead, the EU will charge a flat fee of 2 euros (about 16.335 yuan) per package annually entering the country directly to consumers' homes; if small packages are first transported to warehouses within the EU for storage, a fee of 0.5 euros (about 4.084 yuan) per package will be charged.

The report stated that the small packages involved in the new regulations are mostly from China, which may have a new impact on the operations of Chinese cross-border e-commerce companies such as Temu and Shein. Data shows that 4.6 billion such small packages entered the EU last year, equivalent to more than 145 per second, of which 91% originated from China, and the number is expected to continue to grow.

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) pointed out that before the EU implemented this measure, the Trump administration had already canceled the duty-free treatment for Chinese small packages valued below 800 dollars. There were concerns that low-cost small commodities originally destined for the United States might flood into Europe in large quantities, impacting the EU market.

On May 10th to 11th, high-level Sino-US trade talks were held in Geneva, Switzerland, where both sides agreed to lower tariffs within 90 days, reducing the rate by 115%.

Reuters quoted two logistics experts on the 14th, saying that the US tariff on small packages from China, after being reduced from 120% to 54%, has quietly dropped again to 30%.

Regarding the EU's policy, spokesperson Mao Ning stated 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 abide by 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 text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7522658098013340211/

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