EU plans third parcel tax: product surveillance fee for parcels from outside the EU

The European Commission is planning a new fee on parcels from outside the EU, called the “Union Market Surveillance Fee,” to fund product inspections and market surveillance. The fee would be charged in addition to a €3 import tax and an upcoming €2 customs clearance fee. Under a leaked draft of the European Products Act, importers would generally be responsible for the fee, with lower rates for bulk imports than for individual parcels sent to consumers. The draft also provides for fines of up to 6% of global annual turnover.