The European Commission has reportedly proposed reforms to the customs union, proposing a tax on goods worth less than 150 euros. With e-commerce already accounting for more than 73 percent of all customs declarations, platforms such as Amazon, Asos, AliExpress and Zalando will be the “focus” of online sales in the EU, and they will not be able to pass on obligations to consumers. As a result, the e-commerce platforms will have to provide evidence through a new EU customs data centre that they are not charging consumers extra. They will also have to collect customs and VAT data at the time of purchase and transfer it to the state, ensuring that consumers are not caught up in hidden fees or onerous customs paperwork when packages arrive.
With up to 65% of packages entering the EU believed to be undervalued to avoid import duties, the EU’s changes are aimed at strengthening customs’ ability to detect supply chains and intervene if necessary. In addition, the reform also hit the presence of Asian platforms like AliExpress and Shein in the European market.
Post time: May-26-2023