A “euro tax”is coming on all internet shopping packages imported from China. The commission plans to impose a €2 or €3 charge per parcel, regardless of value, on the more than 4.5 billion parcels imported annually into the European Union.

The measure applies to “cheap” products bought en masse remotely from China, Turkey, or other countries via mobile and computer apps (such as Temu, Shein, Trendyol, etc.).

According to the European Commission, a total of 4.6 billion parcels were imported into Europe in 2024, with an upward trend recorded in early 2025. For now, the Commission’s proposal is to put a “handling fee” of €2 on each of these parcels, regardless of the value of their contents. However, the final charge per parcel could be set at €3 or higher, depending on the decisions taken.

The trade war between the US and China, with the EU is thus bringing upheavals in the consumption habits of millions of Internet users in Greece as well.

However, the fight with the weapon of taxation is two-faced. The online entertainment and information services provided in Greece by digital giants such as Meta (Facebook, Instagram, etc.), Google, Netflix, or Spotify, etc. are also targeted. For them, it is planned to impose a “digital services tax” of 3%-5 %, probably on the revenues earned by digital platforms based abroad from subscriptions and advertising for services they offer in our country, such as streaming, “surfing”, social networking, etc., via mobile devices or computers.

The timetable foresees that the decisions will unfold from the summer and into the second half of 2025, with Greece leading the relevant processes at the European level. For Greek consumers, this will mark a new era in online shopping, where the value of products will be judged not only by price, but also by quality and compliance with European standards.

Words with a “hat”

In the first phase, the rulings will apply to purchases made through discounted mobile shopping apps. The plan calls for a one-off “import and handling fee” (handling fee) to be imposed immediately on the import of goods from third countries for values of even less than €150, which are currently exempt from customs duties.

Based on the Commission’s initial proposal for a €2 charge on each package of purchases imported into Europe, the total revenue for the EU could amount to €9-10 billion a year. However, if it is decided to impose a higher charge (for example at €3), “horizontally” or possibly in a staggered manner, total revenues could reach €10-15 billion per year.

The plan envisages that the fee imposed will be borne by the platforms and not the consumer. They will pay it, without the end buyer being involved with customs.

However, in this case, the contingencies are:

In this case, the situation may be the following.
■ Either the digital platforms pass on the costs fully to consumers, making it less attractive for them to sell in the EU,

But if the European Union is no longer able to offer its customers the same benefits as the European Union, it will make them less competitive in the European Union, but at the same time make them less competitive in the European Union.
■ Either they, as sellers, will absorb, at least in part, the extra costs, limiting their profits to rescue their sales.

What does this mean for the ultimate buyer?

For example, when the new regime is implemented, a consumer who orders, for example, small value products from the Temu app, at a total cost of 20 euros (i.e. the minimum order accepted by the platform), will then pay an additional 2 euros fee on each package that arrives, bringing the total cost to 22 euros.
If this cost is passed on in full to the buyer, he will pay 10% more than the original selling price for Greece.

While if the package needs to be broken up into separate shipments (e.g. due to a lack of an item ordered or a delayed delivery from a supplier), then the charge can be several times higher, reaching 4, 6 or even 10 euros.

The cost of such a development may affect the conditions of competition and the consumer’s choices in the Greek market, as well as the pricing and shipping policy that the platforms selling the products will apply in the future.

For our country, according to market estimates, on the Temu platform alone, 30,000-50,000 low-value orders are placed daily.

“Cutter” with ISO and CE specifications

To implement the new system and collect the fees, there are also plans to set up a new electronic platform at EU customs. This will be an additional “filter”, in addition to taxation, that will put order to distance sales from China and third countries.

Specifically, it is envisaged that a pan-European platform will be created where businesses that want to sell their products online in the EU will register to declare which products they are importing to be taxed.

The online system will act as a “one stop shop” for importers, but also as a cutter for products banned from entering and selling in Europe.

This platform:

This platform will be platform will be used to create a platform for the importation of goods into the EU.
■ will identify each importer-seller registered in the Registry,

Each trader will be able to register in the registry of trader.
■ will calculate, impose, and collect the tax from the business before sending the goods to the consumer within the EU.

■ will check that goods intended for sale in the EU comply with European standards (environmental and safety regulations).
■ will check that the goods comply with European standards (environmental and safety regulations).

The lists and shopping baskets on the mobile phones of Greek and European shoppers who use digital applications such as Shein, Trendyol, etc. are thus “emptied” of unsuitable products. New procedures and rules are being introduced in e-commerce for imported products, reversing the strategy for their penetration and sale on the European market. Under the new system, items of dubious quality and origin that flood the domestic and European markets at absurdly low prices (clothes, shoes, bijoux, tools, batteries, household goods, etc.) will be completely excluded before they are imported. Alternatively, however, they may even be imported into the EU under certain conditions, if they are subject to additional “green” taxes (as compensation for the pollutants or unsuitable materials with which they were produced), ultimately making their purchase unattractive (or even prohibitive) compared to the corresponding items produced in Greece or the rest of Europe, with modern ISO, CE standards, etc.

The end of the exemption

In addition, there is the possibility that the imposition of duties “from the first euro” could also be discussed.

The Commission is considering abolishing the exemption from customs duties for low-value packages under 150 euros. Thus, charges can be imposed on products of lower value or even “from the first euro”, which are currently exempted on importation.

This initiative is also supported by Athens. Kyriakos Pierrakakis has already informed European officials and his counterparts about his positions and plans, and is constantly in consultations at the European level.

Not coincidentally, just last Friday he had a teleconference with Slovakian Trade and Economic Security Commissioner Maros Sefčović, who is preparing the reform for a single European Customs Authority in the EU, while on Monday he will receive in Athens Dutch Commissioner Vopke Hookstra, who holds the portfolio of “green” taxation, which is also joining the battle against cheap – but of dubious quality and standards – imported from Asia, mainly products.

Digital tax on social and pay-TV

But the Digital Services Tax is now also on the table with claims, with Brussels stepping up pressure for the imposition of a single European framework for taxing tech giants. The European Commission and the European Parliament are speeding up in the coming months to reach decisions on a tax on subscription and advertising revenues. The target is clear: Meta, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and other companies with huge advertising and commercial revenues from European users, but little or no tax presence and contribution in Greece and Europe.

In this case, the profits of these giants arise not from “aggressive” imports/exports of Chinese products, but from the preferences and personal data of Internet users, which the platforms fish and trade, imposing “targeted advertising” (as a condition for the free use of their services) on Greek and European consumers.

As a condition of being offered as a service to European and European consumers as a condition of their access to the Internet.

But again, the tax would be imposed on the company/digital service provider. It will then determine whether or not to pass it on in full to its customers.

Several countries within and outside the EU are leading the way on what will happen:

■ From 1.1.2025, France imposes a digital services tax of 3% on total revenues from companies with a global turnover of more than €750 million and at least €25 million within France. This generates public revenues of at least €750,000 per liable company.

■ Italy, Spain, and Portugal follow the same line, with a 3% digital services tax.

■ Austria, on the other hand, levies 5%, while, in contrast, the UK levies 2%.

■ Hungary and Turkey impose a much higher tax rate of 7.5%.