France Calls for Removal of €150 Duty-Free Exemption in Cross-Border E-Commerce
The French government has officially announced its intention to abolish the €150 customs duty exemption for e-commerce platforms during EU negotiations.
The French government has officially announced its intention to abolish the €150 customs duty exemption for e-commerce platforms during EU negotiations. In the related statement, it was noted that approximately 1.5 billion parcels enter France annually through cross-border e-commerce. A significant portion of these parcels are exempt from customs duties because their value remains below €150. These packages mostly originate from Asia and China.
The EU had also recently announced its plan to end the policy of exempting online purchases under €150 from customs duties. While the implementation of this reform is awaited, France has also brought some interim solutions to the agenda. One of these solutions involves charging a fixed “processing fee” for each parcel.
EU Imported 4.6 Billion Parcels in 2024
EU countries imported 4.6 billion parcels valued under €150 in 2024. It was stated that 91% of these parcels originated from China. According to the European Commission’s report dated February 5, 2025, this figure doubled between 2020 and 2022, and then doubled again between 2022 and 2024.
China-based platforms Temu and Shein ranked among the top ten most visited e-commerce retail sites in France in the last quarter of 2024. Both platforms reached more than 15 million unique visitors per month.
France Takes Measures Against Cross-Border E-Commerce
The French government has also brought forward several measures regarding cross-border e-commerce. These steps include intensifying inspections of foreign e-commerce platforms and tripling the targeted sampling rate for e-commerce parcels. If these measures are implemented, hundreds of thousands of products entering via cross-border e-commerce are expected to be rejected.
Additionally, product reviews on e-commerce sites will comprehensively examine not only compliance with safety standards but also labeling accuracy, environmental claims, and commercial practices.
The French government emphasized that a lasting solution to these issues can only be achieved through joint efforts involving increased inspections and reforms in customs regulations. In this context, France advocates for the collective recognition of the issue and a commitment to addressing it effectively.
U.S. Ends Duty-Free Privileges for Low-Value Shipments from China
On April 2, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a presidential order removing the duty-free transit privilege previously granted to low-value shipments from China and Hong Kong. This move directly targets the “de minimis” provision, which allows goods valued under $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free. The new regulations will take effect as of May 2.