China tops refusal list as low-value imports rise
A report from the European Commission indicates the customs authorities across the EU are struggling to keep pace with the rapid growth in e-commerce.
The report, which covers the years from 2022 to 2024, examines how customs authorities are enforcing rules that prevent non-compliant and dangerous products from entering the EU market.
It shows that, in absolute terms, customs controls on products have been increasing – just over 64,000 products were refused entry last year, compared with just over 37,000 in 2023.
Risks
“However, during this period, the expansion of e-commerce-driven imports outpaced the rate at which control measures were implemented,” the commission says.
The report states that the EU faces an “exponentially increasing” number of low-value imports related to e-commerce, with the number increasing from 2.3 billion in 2023 to 4.6 billion in 2024.
“Controlling the compliance of these products is crucial, due to the risks for citizens, businesses and the environment, and challenging because of the huge volumes involved,” the commission says.
Refusal rate falls
Across the EU, customs examined an average of 82 items per million imports in 2024 – down from 124 per million the previous year.
Suspended items fell from 76 per million in 2023 to 51 per million last year, while authorities last year refused entry to 13 items per million due to non-compliance or serious risks – down from 15 per million in 2023.
The report recorded “huge performance discrepancies” across member states, with one state refusing 175 items per million imports, while another rejected only 0.1 item per million imports.
The report does not identity individual member states.
While the report acknowledges that different approaches and priorities in member states are legitimate and necessary, it adds: “It is implausible that products imported in less-performing member states are inherently more compliant or less dangerous than in other member states.”
Customs package
China again topped the list of countries from which items were refused, accounting for more than 48,000 products last year. The US and Britain were second and third, but the number of items involved fell in both cases compared with 2023.
Health products accounted for almost half of those refused last year, followed by ‘home and living’ items and ‘electronics and technology’.
The report comes as the commission prepares to negotiate a package of customs reforms with the European Parliament and EU Council.
“As we continue to see a surge in e-commerce imports, it is imperative that we step up our customs controls and co-operation with single-market authorities to ensure that only compliant and safe products enter the EU market and reach our citizens,” said trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič.
“Against the growing competition from online platforms, this is also vital to create a level playing field for our EU businesses who are following the rules,” he added.