I’m so old, I remember when free trade would lift all boats

From today, customs duties apply to e-commerce parcels worth up to €150 entering the EU.

30 million Europeans work in retail; it's our our largest private-sector employer.

And the surge in low-value online imports has put our retailers at an unfair disadvantage.

Too many of…

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) July 1, 2026