The European Commission is willing to tackle a flood of cheap packages by proposing a handling fee for the EU’s 27 national customs agencies, trade chief Maroš Šefčovič said on Tuesday.

According to Šefčovič, a €2 fee will be covered by the e-commerce firm, applying to direct-to-consumer goods, whilst those sent to warehouses will be taxed at €0.50.

The fees would apply to packages under €150 in value, according to a letter that Šefčovič sent to national governments which was seen by POLITICO. 

“It’s really just to compensate the work which is being done by the customs officials,” Šefčovič told European lawmakers.

The difference in fees is meant to entice platforms like China’s Temu and Shein to send shipments in bulk and distribute them from warehouses inside the EU.

An EU diplomat told POLITICO last month one issue with the stream of packages is that “individual consumers have become their own importers,” making checks on the safety of these products all but impossible.

The EU last year imported 4.6 billion packages worth under €150. Their volume continues to grow, also creating unfair competition for EU producers and issues with environmental pollution as the cheap products are often of low quality.

Šefčovič was briefing the European Parliament’s Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection on a reform to create a single EU Customs Authority and single bloc-wide IT system to serve both businesses and national customs authorities. The added handling fee would become a part of the plan, which is now awaiting a joint position from the 27 EU countries.

The Commission supports starting the customs reform already next year, instead of in 2028. The handling fee would be a temporary measure until the revamped customs rulebook would scratch the tax-free exemption of packages below €150.

Aside from fees, the Commission also wants to oblige platforms like Temu and Shein to take more responsibility.

“We cannot just accept that no one is in charge, that no one is ensuring basic obligations are met,” Šefčovič said.

Jakob Weizman contributed to reporting. This story has been updated.