Latest news with #BerndLange
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EU seeks lasting agreement with the US, negotiator says
The European Union is insisting that any agreement reached in the trade dispute with the US government must be permanent. "If we reach an agreement, it cannot be the case that new tariffs are imposed just a few days later," Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament's Trade Committee, told Deutschlandfunk German public radio. If a stable solution cannot be found, the EU is prepared to impose counter-tariffs, Lange asserted. "We will not allow ourselves to be pressured or blackmailed," the EU negotiator added. Lange is currently in Washington for talks with the US government. The two sides have until July 9 to reach an agreement. If they fail to do so, US President Donald Trump wants to impose high tariffs on EU imports. Although the federal Court of International Trade had declared almost all of the tariffs imposed by Trump under an emergency law to be illegal, a US appeals court recently temporarily overturned the decision. According to Lange, this is a transitional arrangement until the matter is finally clarified. He stressed that customs policy is a matter for the US Congress and should not be subject to the whims of the US president. The EU continues to seek an agreement and has offered higher imports of liquefied natural gas and semiconductors, he pointed out. On the question of possible concessions on the part of Europe, Lange said that the removal of certain tariffs and the mutual recognition of standards could be discussed. However, European legislation – for example on food, chemicals or in the digital sector – was not negotiable. He cited the ban on hormone-treated beef as an example.
Business of Fashion
23-05-2025
- Business
- Business of Fashion
EU Plans €2 Fee for Low-Value Parcels in Setback for Shein and Temu
The European Union is set to propose a 2 euro ($2.27) handling fee for low-value e-commerce packages coming into the bloc, as it struggles to deal with the billions of goods sold by online platforms such as Shein and Temu to European consumers. EU customs authorities handled some 4.6 billion low-value packages bought online in 2024, 91% of them coming from China and a doubling from 2023. The European Commission in February said it would remove the duty-free treatment of low-value consignments worth no more than 150 euros, but not until 2028. The Commission also said it would explore the possibility of an e-commerce handling fee. The fee needs approval from EU governments, which have not yet discussed it, and the European Parliament. France called for such a measure last month. The EU executive said the fee would cover work to ensure compliance of the huge number of parcels with EU rules, such as for toy safety, and would be incurred by the online retailer, rather than by customers. 'With 4.6 billion packages, you can't really have proper controls and to introduce it costs a lot of money and therefore it's fair to ask Alibaba, Temu or Shein to pay their fair share of the cost,' Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament's trade committee, told reporters on Wednesday. Alibaba, Shein, and Temu did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China's foreign ministry said it hoped the EU would abide by its commitment to openness and 'provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese firms'. The Commission has put forward a proposed 2 euro handling fee per parcel delivered directly to the customer or a smaller 50 cent fee for parcels handled by a warehouse within the EU. The United States this month scrapped its 'de minimis' policy that allowed duty-free entry to parcels worth less than $800. European retailers say the existing duty-free policy gives Shein and Temu an unfair advantage. Online retailer Zalando, which sells branded clothes in 25 European countries, told Reuters it welcomed the fee proposal, but said the removal of the customs exemption threshold should be fast-tracked. The handling fee 'could be part of the solution to remedy the unfair competition from Temu and others,' said Stephan Tromp, deputy managing director of German retail association HDE. 'At the same time, the duty-free limit of 150 euros must be abolished.' Polish e-commerce company Allegro called the fee a 'step in the right direction' but said the details of its implementation will be crucial. For example, the lower 50-cent fee for goods handled by warehouses in the EU might ultimately favour global companies with large logistics operations while small businesses will have to pay the 2-euro fee, Ewelina Stepnik-Godawa, regulatory affairs manager at Allegro, said in an emailed comment to Reuters. Europe's biggest fast-fashion retailer, Zara owner Inditex, declined to comment on the fee plan. In a BBC interview earlier this month, Inditex CEO Oscar Garcia Maceiras backed the removal of the duty-free policy to ensure a 'level playing field' with the same rules for all competitors. By Philip Blenkinsop, Ethan Wang, Helen Reid, Anna Pruchnicka, Matthias Inveradi; Editors: Richard Lough, Jane Merriman Learn more: Global Retailers' Tariff Strategy Risks Spreading Pain Beyond US Consumer Brands like Birkenstock and Pandora are considering raising prices in markets outside the US to offset the impact of tariffs.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
EU plans 2 euro fee for low-value parcels in setback for Shein, Temu
HighlightsThe European Union is proposing a 2 euro handling fee for low-value e-commerce packages to manage the increasing volume of online purchases, particularly from platforms like Shein and Temu. The European Commission plans to remove the duty-free treatment for low-value consignments by 2028, amidst concerns from European retailers about unfair competition from non-European online retailers. The proposed handling fee aims to cover the compliance costs associated with ensuring that a significant number of packages meet European Union regulations, with the fee being charged to online retailers rather than consumers. The European Union is set to propose a 2 euro ($2.27) handling fee for low-value e-commerce packages coming into the bloc, as it struggles to deal with the billions of goods sold by online platforms such as Shein and Temu to European consumers. EU customs authorities handled some 4.6 billion low-value packages bought online in 2024, 91% of them coming from China and a doubling from 2023. The European Commission in February said it would remove the duty-free treatment of low-value consignments worth no more than 150 euros, but not until 2028. The Commission also said it would explore the possibility of an e-commerce handling fee. The fee needs approval from EU governments, which have not yet discussed it, and the European Parliament. France called for such a measure last month. The EU executive said the fee would cover work to ensure compliance of the huge number of parcels with EU rules, such as for toy safety, and would be incurred by the online retailer, rather than by customers. "With 4.6 billion packages, you can't really have proper controls and to introduce it costs a lot of money and therefore it's fair to ask Alibaba, Temu or Shein to pay their fair share of the cost," Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament's trade committee, told reporters on Wednesday. Alibaba, Shein, and Temu did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China's foreign ministry said it hoped the EU would abide by its commitment to openness and "provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese firms". The Commission has put forward a proposed 2 euro handling fee per parcel delivered directly to the customer or a smaller 50 cent fee for parcels handled by a warehouse within the EU. The United States this month scrapped its "de minimis" policy that allowed duty-free entry to parcels worth less than $800. European retailers say the existing duty-free policy gives Shein and Temu an unfair advantage. Online retailer Zalando, which sells branded clothes in 25 European countries, told Reuters it welcomed the fee proposal, but said the removal of the customs exemption threshold should be fast-tracked. The handling fee "could be part of the solution to remedy the unfair competition from Temu and others," said Stephan Tromp, deputy managing director of German retail association HDE. "At the same time, the duty-free limit of 150 euros must be abolished." Polish ecommerce company Allegro called the fee a "step in the right direction" but said the details of its implementation will be crucial. For example, the lower 50-cent fee for goods handled by warehouses in the EU might ultimately favour global companies with large logistics operations while small businesses will have to pay the 2-euro fee, Ewelina Stepnik-Godawa, regulatory affairs manager at Allegro, said in an emailed comment to Reuters. Europe's biggest fast-fashion retailer, Zara owner Inditex, declined to comment on the fee plan. In a BBC interview earlier this month, Inditex CEO Oscar Garcia Maceiras backed the removal of the duty-free policy to ensure a "level playing field" with the same rules for all competitors.
Reuters
22-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
EU open to extending lobster deal in package on Trump tariffs, FT reports
May 22 (Reuters) - The European Union is open to extending a deal giving U.S. lobsters duty-free access as part of a broader package aimed at removing tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, citing two officials. The EU's current regulation eliminating customs duties for fresh and frozen lobsters from the U.S. expires on July 31. The lobster deal between the U.S. and EU was struck in 2020 during Trump's first term. Bernd Lange, chair of the European parliament's trade committee, told the FT that the lobster trade was not very economically important, but led to de-escalation from Trump. "[The deal] is expiring at the end of July. I'm really in favour of extending it." The EU faces 25% U.S. import tariffs on its steel, aluminium and cars. It also faces tariffs of 10% for almost all other goods, a levy that could rise to 20% after Trump's 90-day pause expires on July 8. The European Commission has proposed countermeasures on up to 95 billion euros ($107.60 billion) of U.S. imports if tariff negotiations with Washington fail. The Commission has repeatedly said it would prefer a negotiated solution rather than tit-for-tat tariffs. Reuters could not immediately confirm the report. The European Commission declined to comment to the FT and did not respond to a Reuters request for comment outside regular business hours. ($1 = 0.8829 euros)
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
EU to impose €2 fee on parcels, hitting Shein and Temu
BRUSSELS: The European Union is set to propose a 2 euro ($2.27) handling fee for low-value e-commerce packages coming into the bloc, as it struggles to deal with the billions of goods sold by online platforms such as Shein and Temu to European consumers. EU customs authorities handled some 4.6 billion low-value packages bought online in 2024, 91% of them coming from China and a doubling from 2023. The European Commission in February said it would remove the duty-free treatment of low-value consignments worth no more than 150 euros, but not until 2028. The Commission also said it would explore the possibility of an e-commerce handling fee. The fee needs approval from EU governments, which have not yet discussed it, and the European Parliament. France called for such a measure last month. The EU executive said the fee would cover work to ensure compliance of the huge number of parcels with EU rules, such as for toy safety, and would be incurred by the online retailer, rather than by customers. 'With 4.6 billion packages, you can't really have proper controls and to introduce it costs a lot of money and therefore it's fair to ask Alibaba, Temu or Shein to pay their fair share of the cost,' Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament's trade committee, told reporters on Wednesday. Alibaba, Shein, and Temu did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China's foreign ministry said it hoped the EU would abide by its commitment to openness and 'provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese firms'. The Commission has put forward a proposed 2 euro handling fee per parcel delivered directly to the customer or a smaller 50 cent fee for parcels handled by a warehouse within the EU. The United States this month scrapped its 'de minimis' policy that allowed duty-free entry to parcels worth less than $800. European retailers say the existing duty-free policy gives Shein and Temu an unfair advantage. Online retailer Zalando, which sells branded clothes in 25 European countries, told Reuters it welcomed the fee proposal, but said the removal of the customs exemption threshold should be fast-tracked. The handling fee 'could be part of the solution to remedy the unfair competition from Temu and others,' said Stephan Tromp, deputy managing director of German retail association HDE. 'At the same time, the duty-free limit of 150 euros must be abolished.' Europe's biggest fast-fashion retailer, Zara owner Inditex, declined to comment on the fee plan. In a BBC interview earlier this month, Inditex CEO Oscar Garcia Maceiras backed the removal of the duty-free policy to ensure a 'level playing field' with the same rules for all competitors.
