In recent hours, Member of the European Parliament Alex Agius Saliba sent a letter to the European Commissioner for Trade, Maroš Šefčovič, regarding the new customs duty on low-value packages sent directly to consumers through e-commerce. Since 1 July, consumers have been required to pay a €3 surcharge on every item ordered from outside the European Union where the total value of the order is below €150. This measure has raised questions about whether its impact is fair for all consumers across the European Single Market.

Alex Agius Saliba explained how "as a Member of the European Parliament representing Maltese citizens, I drew the Commissioner's attention to the disproportionate impact that this new customs duty is having on consumers in small and remote Member States. Malta's insularity creates a natural barrier between our country and the rest of the European Single Market, resulting in higher prices and less competition compared to mainland countries such as Italy. Maltese consumers do not enjoy the same access to low-cost retailers available in most other Member States, which is why e-commerce has become an essential alternative for the Maltese market."

The objective of this customs duty on e-commerce is to protect European producers and retailers from unfair competition. However, European lawmakers also have a responsibility to closely monitor the unintended consequences of such exceptional measures, which may lead to unfair outcomes.

Alex Agius Saliba also stated that "we are already seeing major e-commerce platforms such as Temu circumventing this duty by establishing fulfilment centres and logistics hubs in larger Member States, including Germany, France, Spain and Italy. This has resulted in significant price disparities for consumers. For example, a consumer in Sicily can purchase the exact same product at a substantially lower price than a consumer in Malta. In the case of low-value products, the surcharge can increase the final price by as much as 50% or more. This is both disproportionate and unfair."

In his letter to the European Commission, Agius Saliba called for the impact of this new customs duty on the different national markets across the Member States to be monitored closely. He argued that its disproportionate effects on small and island Member States should be thoroughly investigated, as they risk placing an even greater burden on consumers who already face higher prices and more limited choices than consumers elsewhere in the Single Market.