First Month of EU Small Parcel Taxation: Belgium Imports Plunge 53%
nashnova research
The EU began charging a flat €3 tax on every sub-€150 parcel in July. At Belgium's Liège airport — a key gateway for Chinese goods — inbound parcels fell 53% year-on-year in the first month, with roughly €224 million collected in seven weeks. The levy targeting Temu and Shein is already reshaping the cost math for Chinese e-commerce into Europe.
How does this tax work, and how much has it raised?
Every parcel entering the EU valued below €150 now carries a flat €3 charge.
This means → on a €10 item, the tax equals 30% of the sale price. The cheaper the product, the harder it hits.
Liège airport, a major transit hub for Chinese goods into Europe, collected roughly €224 million (about $260 million) in the first seven weeks.
Why did import volumes drop by half so fast?
Belgian customs data show parcel arrivals at Liège fell 53% year-on-year in July 2026.
In plain terms = millions of cheap parcels that once sailed through a duty-free loophole now carry an extra €3 each — platforms and buyers are both recalculating.
Belgian Finance Minister Jan Jambon said "the first results show we are heading in the right direction," but noted a pre-tax rush had temporarily inflated shipments before the levy took effect.
This reflects a mix of genuine tax-driven suppression and a high base inflated by front-loading — subsequent months will show whether the trend holds.
Who is the target, and is this tax permanent?
The EU aimed squarely at Temu (Pinduoduo's overseas arm) and Shein, which exploited the sub-€150 duty-free rule to flood Europe with cheap goods.
The levy is classified as a transitional measure, set to expire once a permanent customs framework takes effect in 2028.
This means → the €3 flat tax is the appetizer. The 2028 permanent regime is the meal that will decide whether Chinese cross-border e-commerce can still operate profitably in Europe.
What does this mean for the broader EU-China trade standoff?
Brussels and Beijing have set October as the deadline for negotiations on trade imbalances.
Europe attributes the imbalance to Chinese overcapacity and unfair trade practices; Beijing rejects that framing.
In plain terms = the stronger the parcel-tax numbers look, the more leverage the EU carries to the negotiating table — this data is becoming a quantifiable bargaining chip.
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