Until now, shipments of goods valued at up to 150 euros were duty-free. However, due to the high volume of goods from online retailers in Asia, the European Union plans to abolish this duty-free threshold. The goal is to create a level playing field for retailers from the EU and those from third countries.
Recently, the volume of online commerce has increased noticeably once again. Following a slump in 2021—which came after the sharp rise during the COVID-19 pandemic—the sector recorded growth again last year. The e-commerce association BEVH forecasts approximately 3.2 percent growth in online retail for 2025. Chinese online marketplaces such as Shein and Temu are particularly strong in terms of sales, accounting for about 30 percent of total sales growth. As early as 2024, the European Commission had stated that more than 90 percent of small e-commerce shipments originate from China.
The business model of these platforms differs from the traditional approach of storing goods in large quantities at regional fulfillment centers. Instead, each item is shipped individually from Asia directly to end customers in Europe. According to the German Retail Association (HDE), around 400,000 such packages arrive in Germany every day via the cross-border model used by Shein or Temu. It is expected that the volume of orders placed through these platforms will continue to rise.
The EU is abolishing the duty-free threshold
The current duty-free threshold makes it easy for Asian e-commerce retailers to ship their goods directly to Europe. To reduce the high volume of these shipments and level the playing field for Asian and European retailers, the EU plans to eliminate the duty-free threshold. However, this will require an expansion of the IT infrastructure and the EU customs data hub, a process that is expected to take about two more years. In the interim until the threshold is fully abolished, the EU Council has decided to implement a flat customs duty of 3 euros per package, effective July 1, 2026, for small shipments from third countries with a value of less than 150 euros. Additional handling fees are under discussion and could be introduced by the end of 2026.
Asian E-Commerce’s Europe Strategy and Its Impact on Germany
Against the backdrop of changing import conditions and growing demand, Chinese platforms are currently accelerating their expansion in Europe. Shein is constructing a logistics center spanning approximately 740,000 square meters near Wrocław, Poland. Temu and AliExpress are expanding their warehouse capacities across Europe through external logistics service providers to enable local order fulfillment.
The rising demand for warehouse space is particularly concentrated in North Rhine-Westphalia. As early as 2025, Asian retailers accounted for around 85 percent of rental inquiries received by Logivest NRW. The region’s central location in Europe, with proximity to the ARA ports of Antwerp, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam, makes it highly attractive . In this context, Duisburg already serves as a European logistics hub for China.
As part of their European growth strategy, marketplace providers are currently primarily interested in rental spaces that offer them maximum flexibility and rapid scalability. This includes spaces ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 square meters for local order picking and returns processing, as well as spaces of 10,000 square meters or more for fulfillment centers.
With the elimination of the duty-free threshold, expansion is expected to increase. This will have a noticeable impact on the German and European logistics real estate markets. Demand from Asian companies, in particular, could help the currently subdued market rebound, which is also likely to benefit logistics service providers.
