Maltese MEP Alex Agius Saliba has secured the unanimous support of the European Parliament's Petitions Committee coordinators for a discussion in January on his petition calling for an investigation into the additional €3 charge applied to purchases from Temu and other major online shopping platforms.

The petition questions whether Maltese consumers are paying more than shoppers in larger EU member states because of the charge, and calls for a specific investigation into its impact.

It also urges action to address the situation if it is established that consumers in Malta are being unfairly affected.

"The question is clear: are Maltese consumers paying more than they should? Simply continuing to monitor the situation is not enough. If the evidence shows that Maltese consumers are being treated unfairly, the necessary action must be taken to put things right," Agius Saliba said.

The discussion scheduled for January is expected to bring the concerns before the committee and put pressure on the European Commission to provide clear and detailed answers on the matter.