EU issues new steel and e-commerce regulations to reduce trade imbalance with China
Summary
The European Union has introduced new rules to protect its steel industry and control the rise of small e-commerce parcels from China. These measures include a 3 euro customs fee on small packages and limits on steel imports to address the large trade imbalance with China.Key Facts
- The EU added a 3 euro customs duty on small packages valued under 150 euros, removing a previous exemption.
- Around 90% of these small e-commerce packages come from Chinese companies like Temu and Shein.
- In 2025, 5.9 billion small packages entered the EU, up from 1.4 billion in 2022.
- Most packages were found to fail EU safety tests and raised environmental concerns due to excessive plastic use.
- New steel import rules aim to protect EU jobs and steel plants from excess global steel production fueled by Chinese subsidies.
- The EU’s trade deficit with China reached about 360 billion euros ($410 billion) in 2025 and is growing.
- The 3 euro package fee may reduce small purchases but might not significantly change overall trade due to cheaper prices in China.
- The US has already implemented a similar customs rule on small package imports.
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