📬 Duty from the first euro: Until now, orders up to €150 were duty-free. That will end. The EU is pulling the start forward to 2026 because parcel volumes from China are rising faster than expected.
💶 €2 admin fee: Brussels plans an additional small processing fee per parcel. Countries like Romania and Italy have already moved ahead with their own charges to protect domestic retail and fashion sectors.
📈 Extreme volumes: In 2024, the EU received 4.6 billion low-value parcels under €150, averaging around 12 million a day. Roughly 91 percent came from China, mainly Temu, Shein and others.
✈️ Cheap goods by air: Around 35 cargo flights depart daily for Europe and the US. Estimates suggest Temu ships about 4,000 tonnes of goods per day and Shein roughly 5,000 tonnes.
💸 Discounts that make the CFO cry: Temu sells so cheaply that it loses around USD 30 per order on average, subsidised by parent company Pinduoduo with close to a billion dollars a year and massive ad budgets.
🏦 China’s tax office is knocking too
Chinese tax authorities have, for the first time, obtained real revenue data directly from Amazon, Temu and similar platforms.
Many sellers had previously declared only a fraction of their sales. Now they face retroactive tax claims of 13 percent – enough to erase all profits.
Entrepreneurs report surprise texts, calls and in-person visits from local tax officials. China’s treasury needs money, and cross-border e-commerce exporters are high on the list.
The China Survival Guide for Western Businesses
Entity setup, WeChat strategy, hiring your first local team. 12+ years on the ground in Shanghai.
