The European Union introduced a EUR 3 customs duty on low-value e-commerce imports from third countries at the beginning of July. The change, primarily aimed at packages containing cheap goods from China, is already producing rather surprising results. The first data on packages from China show a significant drop in the number of orders in many EU countries, including Slovakia.
When it comes to the number of registered consignments in Slovakia, China was number one last year. However, Financial Administration data show that China now ranks fourth, behind the US, UK and Japan.
Between the beginning of January and the end of August 2025, almost 219,000 packages arrived in Slovakia. In the same period this year, the figure was just over 25,000, a year-on-year decrease of around 88%.
“This is a very significant drop, which shows how sensitive customers of these cheap platforms are to price,” Filip Kuzma from the Institute of the Modern Consumer said.
The EUR 3 customs duty is paid on consignments valued at EUR 150 or less. However, the final amount depends on how many different types of customs items are contained in a given package.
For example, if a package contains three T-shirts, one pair of socks and a toy, the customs duty will be EUR 9. If, on the other hand, it contains five cotton T-shirts, a customer will pay EUR 3.
Moreover, the standard 23% VAT is always added, calculated on the customs value including the duty. Thus, in the case of a EUR 3 duty plus VAT, the real additional cost will be approximately EUR 3.70.
“The introduction was also intended to reduce the burden on customs authorities and create fairer conditions for European traders, who must comply with stricter tax, customs and regulatory obligations when importing and selling,” says Maria Auxtova, head of Shoptet, which provides the platform for several thousand Slovak e-shops.
One of the goals of the duty was also to help domestic companies facing tough competition. According to Kuzma, it is still too early to say whether people will start buying more regional goods. However, the reduction in the price advantage enjoyed by Asian platforms certainly also benefits European sellers. This is especially true for the cheapest goods.
Kuzma says that future developments will depend on the extent to which the platforms themselves adapt to the loss of customers and whether they begin to absorb more of the tariff costs from their margins. According to him, several large players are already offering such an option, for example, when customers buy at least three pieces of one tariff item. Another store is offering to cover 30% of the tariff costs.
The EUR 3 customs duty is currently set as a temporary fee, valid until July 2028. After the launch of the new EU customs data centre, it should be replaced by regular customs rates.
During this period, the European Commission wants to monitor whether the customs duty is being circumvented in any way. From November, a handling fee for small e-commerce consignments should also be introduced in addition to the customs duty, intended to help cover the costs of customs control and monitoring. It is to apply to orders from third countries. Its amount has not yet been definitively determined, but it is currently expected to be between EUR 2 and EUR 4. (The Slovak Spectator)