EU Customs Reform From July to Add Minimum €3 Fee Per Item on Temu, AliExpress, and Shein Purchases

European Union shoppers will face significantly higher costs when ordering cheap goods from Asian online marketplaces such as Temu, Shein, and AliExpress starting in July, as a sweeping EU customs reform takes effect. Under the new rules, a minimum charge of at least €3 will be applied per product category on packages arriving from outside the EU, a change that will hit low-cost items hardest — in some cases, the customs duty could exceed the actual price of the product itself. The reform overhauls the EU's existing customs framework, which previously allowed goods valued under €150 to enter the bloc with minimal duties, a loophole that Asian e-commerce giants have heavily exploited to flood European markets with inexpensive merchandise. The new system eliminates this exemption and introduces flat-rate minimum charges, making even small, low-value shipments subject to meaningful tariffs. The changes are expected to have broad implications beyond individual consumers. Businesses that rely on importing small quantities of goods from Asia will also be affected, and analysts suggest the reform could accelerate a shift already underway, with Asian retailers and logistics operators moving warehouses and distribution centers onto EU territory to avoid the new charges. For Slovak and other European shoppers accustomed to bargain prices on platforms like Temu or AliExpress, the reform signals a notable increase in the true cost of cross-border online shopping.