New Tax on Cheap Online Shopping in Europe
New Tax on Cheap Online Shopping in Europe
歐洲對廉價網購徵收新稅
Introduction
The European Union (EU) has a new rule. Now, people must pay a tax on small packages from other countries.
歐盟有一項新規定。現在人們必須為來自其他國家的小包裹支付稅款。
Main Body
The EU says small packages are too many. In 2022, there were 1.4 billion packages. In 2025, there were 5.8 billion. This is too many for workers to check.
歐盟表示小包裹數量過多。2022年有14億個包裹，到了2025年則有58億個。這對工作人員來說數量太多而無法檢查。
Some products are dangerous. Many toys and electronics do not have safety papers. The EU wants to stop these bad products.
有些產品很危險。許多玩具和電子產品沒有安全證明。歐盟希望阻止這些劣質產品。
Now, some items cost 3 euros more. In 2028, the EU will use a new computer system to check all prices. Other countries like the USA do this too.
現在，部分商品價格增加了3歐元。到2028年，歐盟將使用一套新電腦系統來檢查所有價格。其他國家如美國也是這樣做的。
Conclusion
The EU wants all shops to follow the same safety and money rules.
歐盟希望所有商店都遵循相同的安全與財務規則。
Vocabulary Learning
📦 The Power of 'TOO'
In the text, we see the phrase "too many". This is a key A2 pattern used to show that something is a problem because it is more than needed.
How it works:
- Too + [Adjective] → Too expensive (It costs too much money)
- Too + [Many/Much] → Too many packages (There are so many, we cannot count them)
Comparing the text:
- "Small packages are too many" This means the workers are stressed.
- "Items cost 3 euros more" This is just a fact, not necessarily "too much."
🛠️ Action Words: 'Want' and 'Must'
Notice how the EU controls the rules using these two words:
- Must (100% Required) "People must pay a tax." (No choice!)
- Want (A Goal/Wish) "The EU wants to stop these bad products." (This is their plan).
Quick Tip: Use must for laws and want for dreams or goals.
Vocabulary Learning
The European Union Introduces New Taxes on Low-Value Online Imports
歐盟對低價值網購進口貨品徵收新稅
Introduction
The European Union has removed the tax exemption for imported online shopping parcels valued under €150 and replaced it with a standard fee.
歐盟已取消價值低於 150 歐元的網購包裹免稅優惠，並以標準費用取代。
Main Body
The European Commission has introduced a €3 charge per item category for low-value imports. This move aims to reduce the unfair competition between local shops and non-EU digital platforms. This change was caused by a huge increase in imports, which grew from 1.4 billion units in 2022 to about 5.8 billion in 2025. The Commission emphasized that the old rules were created before the digital trade era and allowed unsafe goods to enter the market. For example, 2025 checks showed that over 60% of electronics, cosmetics, and toys lacked safety documents or contained banned substances. Consequently, the retailer Temu was fined €200 million in May for safety violations.
歐盟委員會對低價值進口商品每類產品徵收 3 歐元的費用。此舉旨在減少本地店家與非歐盟數位平台之間不公平的競爭。這項改變是由於進口量大幅增加，從 2022 年的 14 億件增長到 2025 年的約 58 億件。委員會強調，舊有規則制定於數位貿易時代之前，導致不安全商品得以進入市場。例如，2025 年的檢查顯示，超過 60% 的電子產品、化妝品和玩具缺乏安全文件或含有禁用物質。因此，零售商 Temu 因違反安全規定於 5 月被處以 2 億歐元的罰款。
Customs authorities also struggled to inspect 16 million daily parcels, which led to this policy change. To solve this, the EU will require product reference details by November 1 to improve tracking, and a handling fee will be added to cover processing costs. Furthermore, the current flat fee is only temporary. It will be replaced on July 1, 2028, by the EU Customs Data Hub, which will calculate taxes based on specific product types.
海關部門也難以檢查每日 1,600 萬件的包裹，導致了此次政策變更。為了改善此情況，歐盟將要求在 11 月 1 日前提供產品參考詳情以優化追蹤，並將增加處理費以支付處理成本。此外，目前的統一費用僅為臨時措施。到 2028 年 7 月 1 日，將由歐盟海關數據中心（EU Customs Data Hub）取代，屆時將根據特定產品類型計算稅金。
This development follows a global trend to remove tax exemptions for small imports, similar to recent actions in the United States and expected changes in the United Kingdom. In response, companies like Shein have increased their logistics operations in Poland to ship goods in larger quantities. Although exporters are legally responsible for these costs, it is likely that the prices will increase for consumers or that suppliers will be forced to lower their prices.
這一發展符合全球取消小額進口免稅的趨勢，與美國近期的行動以及英國預期將進行的變更相似。作為回應，如 Shein 等公司已增加在波蘭的物流運作，以大批量運送商品。雖然法律上由出口商承擔這些成本，但價格很可能會轉嫁給消費者，或者迫使供應商降低價格。
Conclusion
The EU has moved to a paid import system for low-value goods to ensure that all products are safe and that the market remains fair for everyone.
歐盟將低價值商品轉為付費進口制度，以確保所有產品安全，並維持市場對所有人的公平性。
Vocabulary Learning
⚡ The 'Cause & Effect' Bridge
At the A2 level, you probably use 'because' for everything. To reach B2, you need to show how one thing leads to another using a variety of connecting words. This article is a goldmine for this.
🛠️ The Upgrade Path
Look at how the text moves from a problem to a result. Instead of just saying "because," the author uses these B2-level triggers:
- "This move aims to..." Use this when the reason is a goal or a purpose.
- "This change was caused by..." Use this to put the focus on the reason rather than the result.
- "Consequently..." A powerful alternative to "so." It sounds professional and logical.
- "Led to..." A great way to describe a chain reaction (A B).
🔍 Analysis in Action
Compare these two ways of saying the same thing:
A2 Style: Many parcels came into the EU, so the rules changed. (Simple, but repetitive)
B2 Style: A huge increase in imports led to this policy change. (Precise and fluid)
💡 Pro Tip: The 'Result' Logic
When you see "In response," the writer is telling you that Action A happened, and Action B is the direct reaction.
Example from text: The EU changed taxes In response, Shein moved operations to Poland.
Try this shift: Next time you want to say "So I did this," try starting your sentence with "Consequently," or "In response to this, I..."
Vocabulary Learning
The European Union Implements Fiscal Measures on Low-Value E-Commerce Imports.
歐盟對低價值電子商務進口實施財政措施
Introduction
The European Union has abolished the customs duty exemption for imported e-commerce parcels valued under €150, replacing it with a standardized levy.
歐盟已取消對價值低於 150 歐元的進口電商包裹的關稅豁免，並以標準化徵稅取代。
Main Body
The European Commission has instituted a €3 charge per item category for low-value imports to mitigate competitive imbalances between domestic retailers and non-EU digital platforms. This regulatory shift is predicated on a significant escalation in import volumes, which rose from 1.4 billion units in 2022 to approximately 5.8 billion in 2025. The Commission asserts that the prior exemption, designed for a pre-digital trade era, facilitated the entry of non-compliant goods; 2025 inspections revealed that over 60% of sampled electronics, cosmetics, and toys lacked requisite safety documentation or contained prohibited substances. Such systemic failures were exemplified by a €200 million penalty imposed upon the retailer Temu in May for safety violations.
歐盟委員會針對低價值進口貨品，按產品類別每件收取 3 歐元，旨在緩解國內零售商與非歐盟數位平台之間的競爭失衡。此次監管轉型是基於進口量的大幅增加，從 2022 年的 14 億件增至 2025 年的約 58 億件。歐盟委員會主張，先前為前數位貿易時代設計的豁免機制，導致不合規商品大量進入；2025 年的抽查顯示，超過 60% 的電子產品、化妝品及玩具缺乏必要的安全證明或含有禁限物質。此類系統性失效的典型案例，即為零售商 Temu 在 5 月因違反安全規範而被處以 2 億歐元的罰款。
Administrative capacity has been a primary driver for this policy adjustment, as customs authorities reported an inability to conduct rigorous inspections given the volume of 16 million daily parcels. To address this, the EU will mandate the provision of product reference details by November 1 to enhance traceability, alongside the introduction of a handling fee to offset processing costs. While the current flat-rate levy is a provisional measure, it will be superseded on July 1, 2028, by the EU Customs Data Hub, which will apply duties based on specific tariff classifications.
行政能力是此次政策調整的主要驅動力，海關部門報告指出，面對每日 1,600 萬件包裹的規模，已無法進行嚴格檢查。為解決此問題，歐盟將要求在 11 月 1 日前提供產品參考詳情以強化可追溯性，並引入處理費以抵銷操作成本。雖然目前的定額徵費為臨時措施，但將於 2028 年 7 月 1 日由「歐盟海關數據中心」（EU Customs Data Hub）取代，屆時將根據具體的關稅分類徵稅。
This development aligns with a broader international trend toward the elimination of 'de minimis' exemptions, following similar actions by the United States and anticipated measures from the United Kingdom. In response, entities such as Shein have expanded logistical infrastructure in Poland to facilitate bulk shipping. Although the fiscal burden is legally assigned to exporters, it is hypothesized that these costs will be transferred to consumers or mitigated through downward pressure on supplier pricing.
此發展符合國際上取消「最低限度」（de minimis）豁免的廣泛趨勢，美國已採取類似行動，英國亦預計將採取相關措施。對此，Shein 等企業已在波蘭擴展物流基礎設施以利於大宗運輸。儘管財政負擔在法律上由出口商承擔，但據推測，這些成本將轉嫁給消費者，或透過向供應商施壓降低價格來緩解。
Conclusion
The EU has transitioned to a paid import model for low-value goods to ensure regulatory compliance and market equity.
歐盟已將低價值貨品轉為付費進口模式，以確保符合監管要求與市場公平。
Vocabulary Learning
The Architecture of Nominalization and Formal Causality
To transition from B2 to C2, a learner must move beyond describing actions and begin constructing states. The provided text is a masterclass in Nominalization—the process of turning verbs (actions) and adjectives (qualities) into nouns. This is the hallmark of high-level academic and diplomatic English.
◈ The Shift from Process to Concept
Compare these two conceptualizations of the same event:
- B2 Approach: The EU changed the policy because customs authorities could not inspect so many parcels. (Active, linear, focused on the agent).
- C2 Approach: *"Administrative capacity has been a primary driver for this policy adjustment..."
In the C2 version, the 'action' (the inability to inspect) is transformed into a 'concept' (Administrative capacity). This removes the need for a clunky subject-verb-object chain and replaces it with a sophisticated intellectual framework. The 'cause' is no longer a person failing to do a task; it is a systemic deficiency.
◈ Lexical Precision in Regulatory Logic
Notice the use of predicated on. A B2 student would use "based on" or "because of."
Predicated on suggests a formal logical foundation. It implies that the subsequent action is not merely a reaction, but a necessary consequence of a preceding fact.
Key C2 Linguistic Markers found in text:
- "Mitigate competitive imbalances": Instead of "make it fair," the author uses a verb of reduction (mitigate) paired with a technical noun phrase (competitive imbalances).
- "Superseded by": A precise replacement for "replaced by," implying that the new system is not just different, but superior or more evolved.
- "Downward pressure on": A metaphorical economic expression where a physical force (pressure) is applied to a financial variable (pricing).
◈ Syntactic Compression
Look at the phrasing: "...the provision of product reference details... to enhance traceability."
Rather than saying "so they can trace products better," the writer employs a noun + prepositional phrase structure. This compression allows the writer to pack more information into a single sentence without losing clarity, creating a 'dense' professional tone that signals high-level proficiency.