EU Plans Two-euro Flat Fee On Small Parcels From Outside Bloc

The EU fee would remove the customs-free status of packages worth less than 150 euros that are imported directly to consumers (Credit: AFP)

The EU said Tuesday that it was preparing to impose a two-euro ($2.25) flat fee on the billions of low-value packages that flood into the bloc each year, the great majority from China.

Trade chief Maros Sefcovic told the European Parliament that e-commerce platforms would be expected to pay the levy per parcel, which aims to help the European Union tackle the challenges from the massive influx of inexpensive items.