Reaction from China to the EU: the new 2-euro fee has sparked debate

The European Union has imposed a €2 per-item handling fee on low-value imported goods, effective November 1, prompting a formal objection from China’s Ministry of Commerce, which urged Brussels to carefully assess the consequences of the measure. The charge is aimed at cross-border e-commerce flows, a channel dominated by Chinese platforms and sellers shipping inexpensive parcels into the bloc. Beijing’s pushback signals concern that the fee could raise landed costs for Chinese exporters and dampen the price advantage that has driven their EU market share. The dispute adds to a broader set of EU-China trade tensions over subsidies, tariffs and market access. What to watch next is whether the European Commission adjusts the fee’s scope or timing, and whether China pursues retaliatory measures or a negotiated carve-out for e-commerce shipments.