Faced with the closure of the American borders, Chinese ultra-fast fashion giants Shein and Temu have turned their attention to Europe. But the respite could be short-lived.
Reducing the influx of Chinese parcels into Europe
The European Commission presented a strategy in early February aimed at curbing the massive influx of cheap products from these platforms—products that are certainly cheap, but which do not offer all the necessary safety guarantees for consumers and represent a serious problem for competition.
Amidst this invigorating roadmap, one measure could have a very direct impact on the customers of these stores. Maroš Šefčovič, the Trade Commissioner, proposed to the European Parliament a “flat tax,” a fixed fee, of €2 on small parcels entering the EU. This is significant: 4.6 billion imported products are delivered directly to consumers.
Products sent to warehouses for distribution to consumers would be subject to a tax of €0.50. Part of the money collected by this flat tax will cover the cost of additional customs checks, the rest will go to the EU budget. The proposal still needs to go through the European legislative pipeline before being implemented, but there is clearly a desire to limit the massive influx of these packages.
Source: Financial Times
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