Imports of goods from Chinese online marketplaces
Imports of goods from Chinese online marketplaces are a growing problem for Czech traders. Even state authorities admit this, but they offer no quick solution.
France has run out of patience with marketplaces like Temu and Shein. It will impose a handling fee of 0.6 to 2 euros per package against Chinese platforms that massively flood global markets with cheap goods of dubious quality. This will probably also be discussed at the EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council in May.
In 2024, in Czech Republic the turnover of Chinese marketplaces such as Temu, Shein, and AliExpress increased by 170 percent to 23.2 billion Czech crowns, and the pace does not seem to be slowing down.
Large and uncontrolled shipments from third countries are flowing into the EU, including the Czech Republic, and in many cases they violate valid EU rules.
The Czech Customs Administration admitted that neither domestic nor EU customs officers have the strength to check such a quantity. In 2022, 1.4 billion shipments from third countries traveled to Europe, a year later 2.3 billion, and in 2024 already 4.6 billion. And the vast majority are from China.
But tariffs are not the only problem. "78 percent of products on the Temu online marketplace do not comply with EU safety regulations. This is so significant and fundamental that it deserves a solution," said Eduarda Hekšová, director of Czech dTest. She pointed out that the Chinese marketplace uses very aggressive manipulative techniques that are difficult for consumers to resist, such as "wheels of fortune," where the customer is pressured into making a quick purchase at a discount.
The State Institute of Health (SZÚ) tested 150 products imported from third countries, such as cosmetics and textiles. Two products of costume jewelry contained high levels of nickel, which can cause allergies, and some toys contained high levels of lead. Not a single product out of 11 products in the cosmetics category was correctly labeled. Some of the products contained prohibited phthalates.
As proposed by the European Commission in March, part of the solution could be a new handling fee for every parcel under €150. A fee of €1-2 is currently being discussed to offset the costs of increased customs activity, fees for environmentally friendly packaging disposal and the costs of testing products from third countries.
For example, according to February results from the Norwegian Environment Agency, 8 out of 13 products purchased at the Chinese Temu market failed inspection.
Solutions to prevent unfair practices are still being sought. It is clear that a large part of this lies in a unified EU approach. This applies in particular to customs duties and taxes.
Thanks for reading
Margaret