China E-commerce: New Rules under EU Pressure on Platform Control and Liability

What You Need to Know

On April 6, 2026, China released new national guidelines for e-commerce. The industry now faces heightened requirements regarding export controls, platform liability, and compliance with European Union standards. These regulatory changes respond to the surge in small parcel shipments (4.6 billion sent in 2025, 91% of which originated from China) and critical findings from product safety inspections (source: Fashionunited, 04/08/2026).

Key Points

• 4.6 billion parcels imported into the EU in 2025, 91% from China
• New legal liability for platforms (Shein, Temu) and strengthened pre-export checks
• End of the de minimis customs exemption, a fixed tax of €3 per item, and a tripling of inspections

Background and Stakes

EU regulatory pressure increased following the DGCCRF's tests revealing that 70% of Chinese products shipped were not compliant with EU standards and that 45% were deemed dangerous to health or safety (source: DGCCRF, report 03/2026, relayed by Fashionunited, 04/08/2026). The EU demands greater platform accountability, algorithmic content control, transparency on textile composition, and upstream product traceability. At the EU level, these measures echo strengthened online competition and distribution rules (see Morellato fine for sales restrictions on marketplaces, AGCM Italy, decision of 03/31/2026, source: The Fashion Law, 04/06/2026).

Impact on the Industry

Customs brokers, freight forwarders, and importers must classify parcels by tariff species without the widespread de minimis regime. The sector is managing a significant increase in both document and physical inspections (a threefold rise is expected). Platforms now assume full legal responsibility for product compliance. Establishing local logistics bases in the EU becomes a strategic lever for optimizing costs and ensuring compliance with the new fiscal and regulatory requirements. Inspections now utilize certified technical tools such as textile composition scanners prior to shipping, aligning Chinese practices more closely with EU standards (source: Fashionunited, 04/08/2026).

Next Steps

• New rules effective since April 2026
• Official tripling of customs checks on small parcels in the EU in H2 2026
• Setting up local logistics bases is recommended for Chinese importers
• An impact assessment is expected in the OJEU at the end of 2026 to evaluate the effectiveness of the new measures

The industry is managing increased checks on 4.6 billion parcels imported from China to the EU in 2026.

Source: Fashionunited, 04/08/2026; DGCCRF, report 03/2026; The Fashion Law, 04/06/2026