ANKARA
Türkiye may not be affected by the EU’s decision to remove the customs duty exemption for e-commerce purchases below €150 ($172.93), which came to the fore against reducing Chinese-origin e-exports to the bloc.
EU countries are gearing up to remove the customs duty exemption for purchases made on Chinese platforms like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress in 2026. The decision will apply to all goods entering the bloc, which can potentially affect Turkish e-commerce platforms.
Currently, European customers do not pay customs duties on low-value products ordered from places like China, India, Türkiye, or the US.
The number of low-value e-commerce packages entering the bloc reached 4.6 billion last year, according to the EU Commission. Some 90% of these packages came from China.
This decision is deemed as an extension of the bloc’s customs modernization and competitiveness efforts.
‘Turkish shipments do not affect EU’s customs operations’
Hakan Cevikoglu, chair of the Türkiye-based E-Commerce Operators’ Association (ETID), told Anadolu that the EU’s new scheme may not affect the country, and rather, it may create opportunities.
Cevikoglu said cross-border trade has become faster and more accessible than ever before, and this shift will further boost e-exports.
He noted that the EU’s concerns over issues like product safety, consumer rights, environmental concerns, trade balance, and fair competition are valid, as the bloc is trying to set certain standards while protecting its own internal market.
“We find these expectations to be reasonable, and we also support them—we have highly robust legislation and practices fully aligned with the EU, particularly in product safety, production and product standards, consumer rights, and environmental regulations,” he said. “Türkiye stands out with these among many other trading partners of the EU.”
Cevikoglu stated that the share of Turkish products entering the EU versus Chinese ones is so minuscule that “Türkiye has no negative impact on the EU’s customs operations.”
“The Ankara Agreement and the Customs Union make Türkiye a part of the EU market, in addition to its geographical location, level of development, and compliance with regulations, setting the country apart from others,” he said.
“Türkiye should not be evaluated in the same category as the other countries this new reform is targeting—furthering our trade relations and Türkiye’s integration with the EU in all areas represents strategic importance to both sides.
“Türkiye stands out with its high-quality production, strong customs policies, and compliance with EU standards—the exclusion of Türkiye from this decision will boost the competitiveness of Turkish producers on a global scale,” he added.