New EU rules target parcels from Temu, Shein, AliExpress

The EPP Group welcomes the positive outcome of tonight’s negotiations between the European Parliament and Member States on the reform of the EU Customs Code.

"The European Parliament and the Council have reached a historic agreement on the most significant reform of European customs legislation since 1968. The new rules address the explosive growth of e-commerce: last year, 5.8 billion low-value parcels entered the EU," says Dirk Gotink MEP, the Parliament’s negotiator on this law.

The new law has four core pillars: e-commerce traders will be responsible for the goods they send to consumers, a new levy will cover increased processing costs for our customs, a central EU Customs Authority, and an EU data hub will provide a real-time, integrated overview of goods flows. Platforms that structurally fail to comply with our rules will face a fine. Systematic and repeated non-compliance will lead to stricter penalties of up to 6% of annual imports and the suspension of an online e-commerce platform.

"The goal: an internal market that no longer leaves platforms such as Temu, Shein and AliExpress untouched while putting massive amounts of non-compliant goods on the European market and unfairly competing with our businesses," Gotink explains. 

"This will make the single market significantly safer and fairer for consumers and businesses," Gotink concludes.