EU plans €2 fee on small parcels entering the bloc

The tax will affect billions of packages sent to people's homes which mainly come from China at the moment.

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The new tax would mean that packages worth less than 150 euros (£126) are no longer customs-free.

Online marketplaces, including Chinese giants Temu and Shein, would be expected to pay the fee, said EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic.

Last year, 4.6 billion such parcels entered the EU, with more than 90% coming from China.

Such a volume had created a huge workload for EU customs staff, Sefcovic said. He argued it had presented challenges in ensuring the safety and standard of goods entering the bloc was properly checked.