A temporary slowdown appears to be emerging in the large volume of low-value online imports from China into Greece following the introduction of a €3 EU duty per customs code on small parcels worth under €150 imported from third countries, which came into effect on July 1.
Although the measure is still in its initial phase, consumers are already showing greater restraint in purchases from popular Chinese platforms, which have gained strong footholds in the Greek market in recent years.
Courier industry sources told Kathimerini that parcel volumes arriving from China have dropped noticeably over the past week, with initial estimates pointing to a decrease of up to 50% compared with previous months.
At first glance, the fee appears to be meeting its objective of curbing what the European Union views as unfair competition from major non-EU online retailers. In Greece, consumer demand is concentrated mainly on Temu, Shein, AliExpress, and Trendyol.
However, industry sources caution that the initial decline is unlikely to be sustained at the same level, noting that similar patterns have been observed elsewhere. In Romania, where a €5 handling fee has been in place for six months, parcel volumes initially fell by 60% to 70%, but the decline has since moderated significantly.
