EU Tariff Rule Triggers Drop in Danish Customs Parcels

Direct small parcels entering Denmark from non-EU sellers have dropped sharply. A new EU rule started on July 1st this year. It adds a fee of at least three euros on parcels worth 150 euros or less. For buyers, ordering cheap items directly from outside the EU now involves new fees.

Before July, Danish customs registered up to 2.2 million items each week. Right before the change, customs handled 400,000 small parcels in one week. In the first week after the rule, that number fell to 200,000 parcels. By early September, weekly counts fell below 10,000 parcels.

Tax and Growth Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt welcomed the sharp fall. He said fewer cheap items now enter Denmark from China. He hopes the new fee encourages buyers to choose European sellers instead.

However, the Danish Chamber of Commerce and courier firm Dao say these goods still enter Denmark. Dao stated that Chinese parcels used to arrive through Danish airports. Now, they arrive on trucks from across Europe. The parcels are still arriving, but Danish customs no longer registers them directly. This story was reported by The Local.