After announcing the abolition of two holidays, Prime Minister François Bayrou attacks parcels. In a context of economic recession, the French government has just unveiled a major measure for 2026: to establish a tax on bulky shipments. Objectives displayed: protect local tradeencourage short circuits in the face of the proliferation of Chinese goods, and adapt consumption to new economic balances.
It must be said that the situation is worrying: in 2024, France identified 800 million small imported packagesout of 1.5 billion received. 91% of these shipments came directly from China, which has multiplied by four the volume of its exports to Europe in recent years. Behind this figure, we are witnessing a deep transformation of consumption habits, carried by international e-commerce and platforms like Shein, Temu or Aliexpress. Growth which is also explained by the exemption for exemption from shipments of less than 150 €, introduced by a European directive in 2010, which allowed most of these packages to escape customs duties and VAT.
A tax to rebalance the competition
The Prime Minister announced, during the presentation of the 2026 budget draft project, the creation of a tax on small packages, intended to protect shops and local producers from the unfair competition tide that assaults them. Concretely, it would be a question of returning to the framework of 2010 by submitting these shipments to a flat -rate contribution – the European Commission already works at a tax of 2 euros per package by 2026, the idea is therefore not completely eccentric.
The tax is part of a broader movement of support for local sectors and short circuits. With this proposal, the Government hopes to accelerate changes in consumption modes at the national level, and in particular to fight against the deindustrialization of the territory, in Reorienting demand to local productsless competitive price but more virtuous socially and ecologically.
Consumers will have to pay
This is obviously one of the main discord points that surround the proposal. A parcel tax would inevitably affect the end consumer. Especially since the platforms would undoubtedly have no trouble getting around the established rules, grouping orders, or by offering alternative circuits. Between local trade protection, search for tax equity and support for short circuits, France faces an ethical and economic crossroads. It remains to be seen which direction the country will choose to borrow.
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