EU finance ministers have agreed to impose a 3-euro duty on low-value imports starting July 2026, targeting the surge in small parcels from platforms like Shein and Temu. The temporary fee follows last month’s removal of the duty exemption for parcels under 150 euros ($157). The flat fee applies per item for packages containing different products, but only once per shipment for identical items. The move aims to address unfair competition for EU retailers, safety risks, and fraud linked to duty-free small packages, which totaled 4.6 billion entries last year — over 90% from China. France welcomed the decision as “a major victory” for the EU’s single market. An additional handling fee proposed earlier by the EU remains under discussion.