Sir, – The proposed €3 customs charge on every parcel arriving from outside the EU from today (July 1st) is a deeply regressive tax that will disproportionately hurt those on the lowest incomes. The fundamental purpose of free and open trade is to raise living standards by giving consumers access to a wider range of affordable goods. Yet this new charge does the exact opposite.The rich and elite are unlikely to care because they typically purchase expensive branded products from established retailers. It is ordinary families, students, pensioners and low-income households who rely on affordable imports from overseas markets to stretch their budgets. Rather than encouraging local businesses to innovate and compete on price, quality and service in an increasingly global marketplace, this policy shields them from competition at the expense of the most price-conscious consumers. It is yet another assault bygovernment on the “squeezed middle class”.Governments often claim to champion the interests of vulnerable households, yet measures such as this make everyday essentials more expensive for those who can least afford it. If the objective is fairness, policymakers should not balance the books on the backs of low-income consumers. – Yours, etc,Krishna Vadlamannati,Associate professor,Director of PhD programme in global human development,School of Politics and International Relations,University College Dublin. The rich and elite are unlikely to care