European Commission to increase checks on products imported from outside the EU
The European Commission wants to take action against the large number of cheap products entering the European Union. In 2024, about 12 million parcels per day arrived from online shops and marketplaces outside the EU. These parcels mostly contained products costing less than €150 in total.
What’s wrong with products from outside the EU?
Many products from non-EU countries are unsafe, break easily, or are counterfeit. They do not meet safety and quality rules. On the other hand, European traders must follow these rules, which often makes their products a bit more expensive than those from distant countries. For cheaper products from faraway countries, it is not always clear if they are reliable.
The European Commission believes it is important that everyone living in the EU can buy products that are affordable, safe, and of good quality. If more and more people choose cheap products from outside Europe, this harms European companies that do follow the rules.
Importing products from outside the EU also harms the environment because of the huge number of parcels that must be transported. For these reasons, the European Commission does not want such a large number of products to be imported from outside the EU.
What does the European Commission want to do?
This year, the European Commission plans to take the following measures:
- Check parcels more often, even if the value is below €150
- Charge fees for importing cheap parcels
- Make agreements to protect the environment
- Check more often if imported products are safe
- Share more information about risks and consumers' rights
Within a year, the Commission will review whether these goals have been met and prepare a report.
Want to know more?
For more information, read the European Commission’s press release: Safe and sustainable import of e-commerce products.