Belgian customs officers inspect low-value e-commerce parcels from China at the YunExpress warehouse near Liège Airport in Belgium, which handles around 20% of the EU’s e-commerce customs declarations. (EPA Images pic)BRUSSELS: The European Union will from Nov 1 slap a €2 (US$2.25) handling fee on packages from outside the 27-nation bloc in a bid to curb the influx from China.
The new levy -- coming just weeks before the Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas season shopping rushes -- will be on top of the EU's three-euro fee on small parcels.
The fee will apply to each type of item in a package sent directly to consumers from outside the EU regardless of the parcel's value. For example, if there are 10 T-shirts in a package, the handling fee will be €2.
