00:02The number of small parcels worth less than 150 euros entering the EU has fallen by nearly 50% since
00:10the 1st of July following the introduction of a 3-euro flat tax on such shipments.
00:14However, Dutch customs warn this decrease might partly result from a change in the working methods due to the levy,
00:22with companies opting for bulk import and storage within the EU to resell their goods from there.
00:28The temporary levy was introduced in an effort to curb the growing dominance of Chinese e-commerce platforms such as
00:35Shein or AliExpress.
00:37Some 4.6 billion low-value items under 150 euros were imported to the EU in 2024, representing an average
00:46of 12 million parcels per day, according to the European Commission.
00:50In addition, the EU is about to implement a custom reform aimed at facilitating the tracking of items arriving from
00:58outside the EU.
00:59As part of the reform, the EU will set up a data hub in the French city of Lille, where
01:04custom data are expected to be gathered and analysed.
01:09We'll be right back to the EU.
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