Taxes will also exist in Europe, as they do in China and the United States. From 2026, and due to new levies targeting “small parcels” worth less than €150 imported into the EU, purchases made on platforms such as Shein, Temu or AliExpress are expected to become more expensive.
After European countries on Friday approved the introduction of a flat fee of €3 per parcel from 1 July 2026, France is now set to introduce its own tax, ranging from €2 to €5 depending on the budget talks currently under way.
These parcels—most of them from China—will now be subject to an EU-level charge aimed at regulating a massive influx of low-cost goods, given that 4.6 billion parcels worth less than €150 were shipped to the EU in 2024—145 per second—with 91% originating from China.
This new procedure, endorsed by EU economy ministers, could be added to the national tax being considered under France’s 2026 Finance Bill (PLF 2026).
Since Europeans had already given the green light in November to ending the long-standing exemption from customs duties for these shipments, the text provides for handling fees targeting parcels imported by companies established outside the EU.
In this regard, the Senate raised the amount from €2 to €5 despite government opposition, but the final level has yet to be decided.
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