Italy’s recent effort to curb low‑value ecommerce imports has taken an unexpected turn. A new €2 fee on small parcels arriving from outside the European Union was meant to protect local commerce and raise government revenue. Instead, cargo flights and shipments are now bypassing Italian airports, landing elsewhere in the EU to avoid the charge, a shift that is reshaping logistics flows and ecommerce dynamics across the continent.
At the start of 2026, Italy introduced a levy on parcels valued at up to €150 from outside the EU. These shipments had previously entered the bloc duty‑free under the longstanding “de minimis” customs exemption. Policymakers hoped the fee would level the playing field for Italian and EU retailers struggling with competition from fast‑fashion marketplaces such as Shein and Temu.
Backers of the measure argued that it would help offset administrative costs and give local businesses breathing room in a market flooded with ultra‑cheap imports. The government projected revenues of over €120 million in 2026 and much more in subsequent years.
However, Italy’s well‑intended policy quickly ran into a fundamental challenge: the European Union’s single market. Once goods clear customs at any EU entry point, they can circulate freely throughout the bloc without further checks or duties. Logistics operators, therefore, began diverting cargo flights to neighbouring countries where no such national fee applied.
As a result, Italian cargo hubs, including Milan’s Malpensa, historically one of Europe’s busiest freight gateways, have seen steep declines in parcel traffic. Flights that once landed in Italy are now touching down in cities like Liège, Amsterdam, and Budapest, and parcels are then trucked into Italy.
This rerouting undermines Italy’s objectives in multiple ways. First, it reduces the volume of goods subject to the national fee, cutting into expected revenue. Second, it shifts the logistics business, and the jobs and fees associated with it, to neighbouring countries. Finally, it increases road traffic and emissions as parcels travel longer distances overland rather than arriving directly by air.
The parcel tax episode highlights how delicate ecommerce and cross‑border logistics have become in Europe. Online shoppers have driven a dramatic rise in low‑value imports. In fact, the number of such parcels entering the EU doubled to around 4.6 billion in 2024, with the vast majority originating from China.
Before the tax, these shipments benefited from simplified customs procedures and lower administrative costs. Italy’s new charge was part of broader EU-level discussions to modernize these rules and ensure fair competition between domestic and foreign sellers. However, the tax’s quick implementation, ahead of coordinated EU action, has exposed structural weaknesses in national approaches to ecommerce regulation.
Across the EU, there is consensus on the need to reform how low‑value ecommerce imports are treated. Member states have been exploring similar levies, and the European Commission has agreed on a €3 fee on low‑value parcels entering the bloc, set to take effect from 1 July 2026. This coordinated move aims to reduce incentives for national arbitrage and create a level regulatory field.
Yet Italy’s unilateral move ahead of EU‑wide implementation has shown the pitfalls of isolated action in an integrated market. Logistics networks are highly fluid and adapt quickly to avoid added costs. As long as differences persist among member states, routing distortions like those now occurring will persist.
Italy’s experience carries several lessons for ecommerce stakeholders. First, policy changes can have wide-ranging effects on supply chains, especially when they intersect with free-movement rules. Retailers and online platforms should closely monitor regulatory shifts and assess how they might affect delivery costs, fulfilment strategies, and customer expectations.
Second, the situation highlights the growing importance of efficient cross‑border logistics. As consumers continue to buy from foreign sellers, ecommerce companies must adapt to changes in handling fees, customs rules, and delivery patterns. This requires robust fulfilment planning and flexibility in choosing entry points to various markets.
Third, coordinated action at the EU level may be more effective than national measures. When policies are aligned across countries, they reduce incentives for rerouting and provide greater predictability for businesses. The incoming EU‑wide parcel fee is a step in this direction, even if it arrives later than national schemes like Italy’s.
For now, Italy faces a difficult balancing act. If it suspends or repeals the €2 parcel fee to protect its logistics sector, it risks losing anticipated revenue. If it maintains the fee, the distortion in cargo routing may deepen, weakening its role as a key logistics gateway. Meanwhile, the rest of Europe moves toward harmonized parcel regulations that may eventually eliminate arbitrage opportunities.
For ecommerce teams and online retailers, the episode is a reminder that regulatory environments matter as much as market demand and logistics performance. In an interconnected region like the EU, changes in cross‑border trade rules can ripple quickly through supply chains and consumer behaviour. As reforms unfold, adaptability and strategic planning will be essential to stay competitive.
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