How will EU's €3 custom charge impact you?
One year since the bloc’s leaders reacted in horror to Donald Trump’s decision to charge tariffs on goods imported into the United States, EU leaders have decided to introduce a customs charge that will put up the price of buying goods from overseas.
While Trump said the European Union and China have “ripped us off for many years”, now Brussels has decided that Chinese imports amount to “unfair competition for EU businesses”.
NEW TRUTH SOCIAL FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP:
🇨🇳125% TARIFF ON CHINA
🌎90-DAY PAUSE & LOWERED 10% RECIPROCAL TARIFF FOR OTHER COUNTRIES🚨EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY pic.twitter.com/Gt5Bd6276m
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 9, 2025
Their response is a €3 customs charge on any package shipped into the EU that is worth less than €150.
Overwhelmingly, this will impact Chinese imports into the bloc - with 91% of the 4.6 billion e-commerce parcels valued under €150 originating from the world’s second largest economy.
On The Claire Byrne Show, Revenue Head of Customs Ray Ryan said the charge is levied on each item, not on a single package that might contain several items.
“If you buy goods, for example, if you're doing your summer shop, if you're buying a hat, a t-shirt and sunglasses, they're three distinct items,” he explained.
“That would be a €9 customs duty fee, in addition to what you've paid for the goods as well.
“So, it's important to note that this is a significant change in terms of what people are used to.”
Out on the streets of Dublin, lovers of online shopping had mixed views on the merits of a custom charge.
“I would say when it comes to things like Shein and fast fashion, I think that's a very positive thing,” one woman told reporter Jessica Woodlock.
“I think we completely over consume, especially in Ireland.
“There's huge expectation that you always have a new outfit and it's just really disgusting to see people posting a new Shein haul every week.
“I think that's a positive thing in that way; I'm glad to say that most of the stuff that I look for online is going down in price is cheap.
“So, an extra €3 is not going to make much difference to me.”
While another woman described it as “so annoying”, given the extra expense it will impose on consumers.
“I literally just done a big shop for my holidays next week and I was hoping it'd be here, but it hasn't [arrived],” she said.
“So, obviously I'm going to get charged the €3 per item and I think I've done an order that was probably about 12 items.”
Main image: A package. Picture by: Alamy.com.
