OddsFrontEU low-value parcel arrivals fall by nearly half after new €3 duty
Belgian and Dutch customs data indicate a sharp change in small e-commerce shipments since July, although authorities are investigating whether sellers have shifted to bulk imports stored inside the EU.
A sharp drop after the duty began
The flow of low-value parcels into the European Union has fallen by nearly half since a new €3 customs duty took effect on July 1, according to Belgian and Dutch data reported by Euronews. Belgium recorded a 53% year-on-year decline, while Dutch customs measured a 46% reduction, particularly among e-commerce consignments arriving from China.
Belgium and the Netherlands together handle close to half of the EU’s low-value parcel traffic, making the data an important early signal. It is not yet a complete bloc-wide measurement, however. Dutch authorities cautioned that some of the apparent decline may reflect a change in logistics rather than an equal reduction in consumer purchases.
Platforms may be changing routes
One possible response is bulk importing. Instead of sending each order from outside the EU as a separate low-value consignment, platforms can move larger shipments into European warehouses and complete individual deliveries from inside the single market. Customs authorities are investigating whether this operational shift accounts for part of the fall.
The European Commission confirms that the temporary duty applies to distance-sale consignments worth no more than €150. The charge is calculated per tariff category represented in a shipment, not simply as one fee for every parcel. It is intended to replace the previous duty exemption until the e-commerce component of the new EU Customs Data Hub begins operating in 2028.
Safety and enforcement are central
The policy responds to extraordinary growth in small imports. Commission data show that about 4.6 billion low-value consignments entered the EU in 2024, equivalent to roughly 12 million a day and twice the 2023 volume. Regulators say the scale makes checks difficult and increases exposure to unsafe, non-compliant or falsely declared goods, while creating an advantage for sellers outside the Union.
The larger customs reform will place more responsibility on e-commerce platforms and create a central data hub managed through the new EU Customs Authority in Lille. The next evidence to watch will be figures from additional member states, investigations into bulk-import substitution and enforcement against platforms that repeatedly breach customs or product-safety rules. Those results will show whether the duty reduced problematic trade or primarily changed how it crosses the border.