Online shoppers who regularly order from platforms such as Temu, AliExpress and Shein are about to find their purchases becoming more expensive.
From July 1, a new EU-wide customs duty of three euros will be applied to all parcels arriving from outside the European Union with a declared value of up to 150 euros.
For many Lithuanian shoppers, the platforms have become a staple of everyday spending. That pastime is about to carry an added cost.
How the new charge will work
The duty applies per category of goods within a parcel, not per order – a distinction that could catch some shoppers off guard.
"If the items are all the same type, the charge is three euros for all of them. But if the parcel contains different types of goods, each category attracts a separate three-euro charge," explained Šarūnas Avižienis, head of the Customs Policy Division at the Lithuanian Customs Department.
A practical example was offered by Tomas Vaišvila, communications manager at parcel delivery firm DPD Lithuania: "If you order a pack of socks and a hat, the socks and the hat each attract three euros – so you pay not six euros but twelve."
Why is the EU introducing this?
More than 4.5 billion parcels arrive in the European Union from China each year. The new duty is part of a broader effort to give European manufacturers a more level playing field against Asian e-commerce giants that have flooded the market with cheap goods.
Previously, parcels valued below 150 euros entered the EU entirely free of customs duty, a threshold that critics argued allowed non-EU retailers to undercut European competitors unfairly.
Avižienis noted that product standards have also been a concern. "It is genuinely difficult to ensure that goods meet the required quality standards. Assessments suggest that more than 60% of such goods fail to comply with quality requirements. At the same time, the declared value of goods is being systematically understated, meaning tax revenues are lost and European producers are being harmed."
How are shoppers reacting?
Reactions among Lithuanian consumers are mixed. Some say they will carry on regardless; others are reconsidering.
"It'll depend on how much I'm buying and how much I actually want the item," said one shopper.
"I don't think I'll buy if there are extra charges on top. Then definitely not," said another.
Lukas Zadarackas, a spokesman for Lithuanian Post, predicted a short-term dip in the popularity of international platforms.
"It is likely that, in the near term, the popularity of shopping on international platforms that ship into the EU from outside it will decrease somewhat," he said.
A warning for June shoppers
The Customs Department is also cautioning people who are placing orders now, ahead of the July 1 deadline.
"Regardless of whether goods are purchased today or tomorrow, that is, before the first of July, the duty may still apply if they arrive in Lithuania on or after the first of July," Avižienis warned.
Unanswered questions on delivery
Parcel delivery companies say they have yet to work out exactly how the duty will be collected in cases where shoppers have not paid it at the point of purchase. Representatives from the sector are due to meet with customs officials later this week to resolve the matter.
"The question is how information will flow between customs, retailers and the buyer. There is no straightforward answer yet as to whether everything will be clear by July," said DPD Lithuania's Vaišvila.
Returns also affected
The new rules will also change the process for returning goods. From July, the three-euro customs duty will not be refunded if a shopper decides to return a purchase, unless the item is faulty or does not conform to the terms of the original purchase agreement.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
