New EU rules to change online shopping for Romanians on Temu, Shein

New European Union regulations will soon reshape the online shopping landscape for Romanians, particularly impacting purchases from international platforms outside the EU such as Temu and Shein. These upcoming rules, effective July 1, 2026, are poised to directly affect pricing, delivery times, and the taxation of low-value parcels.

The core of the change involves the elimination of the long-standing exemption from customs duties for packages valued up to 150 euros. This exemption had fueled the rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce platforms in recent years. Starting July 2026, a flat fee of 3 euros will be introduced for all shipments originating from outside the EU, regardless of their value below the 150-euro threshold.

This reform addresses a significant imbalance in the market. For years, platforms operating from Asia, particularly China, have leveraged the duty-free status of low-value shipments to offer highly competitive prices to European consumers. This model saw billions of packages, 91% of which came from China in 2024, enter the EU annually, placing pressure on customs infrastructure and European retailers.

The EU's objective is to foster a fairer competitive environment. While the immediate effect for consumers might be a slight increase in final prices and potential delivery delays as logistics and customs adapt, the broader aim is to level the playing field between domestic and international e-commerce businesses. The new system is expected to streamline the process for handling the vast volume of low-value shipments that have become a hallmark of modern online retail.