European textile and clothing federation Euratex has formally requested a €10 handling fee on ultra-fast-fashion parcels entering the European Union, contending that minor customs adjustments fail to stem an overwhelming surge of low-cost imports. As direct-to-consumer digital platforms flood member states with billions of heavily discounted garments, regional compliance and border surveillance costs have disproportionately burdened local taxpayers and regulated domestic enterprises.

Modest customs revisions proposed at €2- €4 per package are completely inadequate for addressing the immense administrative and safety enforcement pressures generated by high-volume e-commerce channels, states Mario Moretti, Senior Trade Policy Advisor. The association advocates channeling the proposed fee directly into advanced risk analysis infrastructure and rigorous product-safety testing. Furthermore, leadership is pushing for strict regulatory equivalence between business-to-consumer and bulk business-to-business imports to prevent digital marketplaces from exploiting fulfillment loopholes.

Representing Europe’s T&A industry

Euratex represents Europe’s comprehensive textile and clothing industry, encompassing 200,000 predominantly small and medium-sized enterprises and 1.3 million jobs. Spanning fibers, yarns, and finished apparel, the sector operates under strict environmental and safety regulations while adapting to intense competitive pressures from global e-commerce imports.