BRUSSELS — The European Commission wants to slap a customs handling fee on low-value packages entering the bloc below one year earlier than planned, a letter seen by POLITICO spells out.

Sent by the Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič to the bloc’s finance ministers on Wednesday, the letter says that “if we act with the required political determination and pragmatism, a workable solution could be in place for Q1 2026.”

France pressured the Commission last month by announcing its own national handling fee in its new budget, because the EU-wide handling fee on packages worth less than €150 was not expected before 2027. Concerned that the French fee could displace deliveries, Belgium and the Netherlands are considering similar moves.

The finance ministers gather Thursday in Brussels to discuss removing the €150 threshold under which shipments don’t get taxed. That move would only be feasible from mid-2028, which is why the Commissioner is proposing an EU-wide “simplified temporary customs fee and a better link of IT tools.”

Šefčovič underlined the need for speed.

“It will be extremely difficult to explain to our business and citizens why the European Union cannot act faster to provide a solution to an issue we agree on — to remove this competitive advantage,” he wrote.

Swedish Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson told POLITICO that “free trade doesn’t mean you get to flood the market with whatever garbage you feel like selling,” adding that the Commission push “feels feels like a major win. We’ve seen how companies have been exploiting the system.”

The EU received over 4 billion packages officially worth under €150 in 2024, many of which did not comply with European product safety standards or were actually worth more than their declared value. The rising popularity of web shops like Shein and Temu from China fuels this flood, with France deciding to suspend access to Shein’s online platform this month.

In parallel, the EU’s three main institutions are in negotiations to strengthen customs coordination between bloc’s 27 national customs agencies with the creation of a centralized IT hub and EU Customs Agency.

The Financial Times first reported on Šefčovič’s letter.