French Economy Minister Roland Lescure has, for the first time, put numbers on the impact that the new low-value shipment fee is having on imports into the European Union. Speaking last Thursday, Lescure explained that since July 1, the inflow of “small packages” into the European Union has fallen by between 30% and 50%.
Specifically, during his remarks, the minister spoke about the importance of defending the European market from external players, with particular focus on China:
“When it comes to China, nothing is inevitable. About a year ago, we fought to introduce a fee on small packages. We tried to implement it in France, but it did not work: the measure approved in March was circumvented. Then we looked for a solution at the European level. I was the one who pushed this measure last fall. Initially, it was supposed to come into force in 2028, but I said, ‘You must be dreaming; we are receiving an enormous number of small packages.’
In the end, the fee came into force on July 1. And here I can announce one figure to you: since July 1, the inflow of small packages into Europe has decreased by between 30% and 50%. So, in the face of a commercial invasion and trade that is no longer as fair as it once was, we are not doomed to resign ourselves. If we implement the right public policies, we can win. And we will win, perhaps thanks to public policy, but also thanks to each and every person here.”
In this way, Lescure has highlighted a reality that many of us were already beginning to notice. The three-euro fee per product category for packages worth less than 150 euros, activated by Brussels in response to an avalanche of parcels arriving from abroad, is working.
According to European Commission data, in 2025 there were 5.9 billion low-value shipments (products costing less than 150 euros) related to eCommerce entering the European market. This figure represents 28.6% more than in 2024, and more than double the 2023 total, raising concerns about the implications for the competitiveness of the EU economy, as well as the entry of products that do not comply with European legislation. According to the Commission, in 2025 93% of those products came from China.
It is easy to infer that most of them were linked to major Chinese marketplaces such as Shein, Temu, and AliExpress, for example. These marketplaces are typically known for their low-priced product offerings and would therefore be more exposed to the application of a three-euro fee like the one mentioned above.
Meanwhile, shopping app Joko reported that in France, during July, Shein, Temu, AliExpress, and DHgate.com saw their sales volumes plunge, reaching as much as -50% in Temu’s case. Shein appears to have held up a bit better (a drop of only -15%), “thanks to its warehouse opened in Poland in December 2025.”
Another measure has focused on strengthening the Fast & Free channel, which brings together items shipped locally from warehouses in the EU and therefore exempt from customs charges. Shein and Temu also have featured sections for “EU Warehouse” (Shein) and “Local Warehouse” (Temu), centered on shipments originating within EU borders, not subject to the three-euro charge and also benefiting from much shorter delivery times than products shipped from China.
In any case, while we wait for more detailed data, the reality is that the rules of the game have changed radically for these marketplaces, as everyone awaits the new customs reforms the EU already has in the pipeline.
Image: ChatGPT
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