Customs reform: ending impunity

Name: Brand Response
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Maxime Jérôme Rolland-Calligaro

March 26, 2026

Tonight EU lawmakers struck a deal on the long-awaited EU customs reform.

Context. Cheap imports from China have spiraled out of control. In 2024, 4.6 billion small parcels (valued under €150) were imported into the EU. This is double the 2023 figure (2.3 billion), which itself was twice the number recorded in 2022 (1.4 billion). We have an exponential problem on our hands, says Jeannette Baljeu (VVD, Netherlands), our lead MEP on this file.

Many of these imports have also flouted the law. Random checks revealed that 90% of the products failed to comply with EU standards, including critical safety regulations on dangerous chemicals in items such as children’s toys. That figure is only 8% for traditional retailers.

This reform, agreed today, aims to put an end to these abuses, most notably by holding platforms accountable for the products they sell.

Baljeu explains: “Today, if a customer buys a toxic toy, they have no recourse. Legally, they are considered the ‘importers’ of the goods they purchase. This system is fundamentally flawed for e-commerce, as consumers cannot realistically ensure compliance. With this reform, we will make platforms like Temu and Shein the responsible importers of the goods they sell to our consumers.
Platforms will no longer be able to wash their hands of their products—and we won’t have to wash ours twice after handling them."
Jeannette Baljeu
Renew Europe MEP, Netherlands, Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie

The reform will kick in in 2028 so platform have the time to finally put in place the necessary due diligence mechanisms on the products they sell. MEPs also succeeded in securing heavier sanctions for platforms attempting to circumvent the law.

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