Agius Saliba warns new EU customs duty unfairly burdens Maltese consumers

Maltese MEP Alex Agius Saliba has raised concerns about the unfair impact of the new customs duty on low-value packages on small and remote EU member states.

Since 1 July, the new rules require consumers to pay a €3 surcharge on every item ordered from outside the European Union when the total value of the order is below €150.

In a letter sent to the European Commissioner for Trade, Agius Saliba pointed out that major e-commerce platforms such as Temu are already circumventing the rules by establishing hubs in larger member states, including Germany, France, Spain, and Italy, creating significant price disparities for consumers.

Agius Saliba noted that the surcharge can increase the final price paid by Maltese consumers by as much as 50% or more, while a consumer in Sicily can purchase the same product at a substantially lower price.

He explained that Malta’s insularity creates a natural barrier between the country and the rest of the European Single Market, resulting in higher prices and less competition than in mainland countries such as Italy.

Consequently, Agius Saliba said, Maltese consumers do not enjoy the same access to low-cost retailers available in most other member states, making e-commerce an essential alternative for the Maltese market.

While the objective of the customs duty is to protect European retailers from unfair competition, Agius Saliba insisted that lawmakers have a responsibility to monitor the unintended consequences of such measures.

He called for the disproportionate impact on small and island member states such as Malta to be thoroughly investigated, warning that the measure risks placing an even greater burden on consumers who already face higher prices and more limited choices than those elsewhere in the Single Market.