The market is taking a wait-and-see approach on the expected deterrent effect of a new €3 EU duty on small parcels worth under €150 imported from third countries, aimed mainly at low-cost e-commerce shipments from Asia.
The measure, due to take effect on July 1, is designed as an initial barrier against the rapid growth of cheap imports from large online marketplaces, primarily Chinese platforms.
A broader customs reform will follow, including a full EU customs duty by November 2026 at the latest, the creation of a European Customs Authority, and the rollout of an EU Customs Data Hub for e-commerce by July 1, 2028.
“We want to see how it will be implemented and then judge its effectiveness,” said Greek eCommerce Association (GRECA) president Katerina Fraidaki, noting that impact will depend on implementation details and the competitiveness of domestic online retailers.
A particularly important factor for the effectiveness of the measure is the fact that the €3 duty is not imposed per parcel, but per item, the GRECA head noted
