Austrian Trade Chamber Calls for Swift Action to Address Surge in Asian E-commerce Shipments

The Austrian Federal Trade Division has expressed strong support for the recent decision by European Union finance ministers to eliminate the 150-euro customs exemption on parcels arriving from non-EU countries. This measure, which is pending implementation, is intended to address the significant increase in low-value parcel imports from Asian online retailers and to restore fair competition for European businesses.

According to recent data from the European Commission, a vast majority of e-commerce imports entering the EU valued at up to 150 euros originate from China. In the previous year alone, 91 percent of all such shipments came from China, with the total number of packages more than doubling from 1.9 billion to 4.17 billion. The volume is projected to continue rising steeply, with estimates indicating that shipments could exceed 16 billion by 2026 if current trends persist.

This surge in parcel deliveries from Asian platforms, such as Temu and Shein, has raised concerns among European retailers and trade organizations. They argue that the customs exemption creates an uneven playing field, as domestic businesses are subject to stricter regulatory and tax requirements. The Austrian Trade Chamber has emphasized the urgent need for the customs exemption to be abolished by early 2026 to prevent further escalation of parcel volumes and to protect the interests of local businesses.

Beyond the removal of the customs threshold, the trade body has called for additional measures to ensure fair competition. These include strict enforcement of value-added tax (VAT) and customs duties on all imports from third countries, especially those entering the EU through large online marketplaces. The chamber stresses the importance of applying existing EU regulations--such as those related to product safety, packaging, and environmental disposal--uniformly to all sellers targeting the European market, regardless of their country of origin.

The organization argues that the current regulatory landscape gives foreign retailers an advantage, as they are not always required to comply with the same standards as EU-based businesses. This disparity can undermine the competitiveness of European retailers, who must adhere to a comprehensive set of legal and environmental obligations.

Efforts to reform the customs exemption are seen as a critical step towards establishing a level playing field within the European retail sector. The Austrian Trade Chamber continues to advocate for prompt legislative action and the implementation of comprehensive oversight mechanisms to ensure that all market participants operate under the same conditions.

As the EU moves forward with these reforms, trade representatives are urging policymakers to prioritize the interests of domestic businesses and to address the challenges posed by the rapid expansion of cross-border e-commerce. Enhanced regulatory enforcement and the removal of preferential treatment for non-EU sellers are viewed as essential components of a fair and competitive European marketplace.