The European Union has introduced sweeping changes to the way low-value imports are handled, ending a long-standing system that allowed millions of inexpensive parcels to enter the bloc with minimal customs scrutiny.

Since 1 July 2026, new customs rules have been designed to tighten oversight of cross-border e-commerce, improve product safety and create fairer competition for European retailers.

The reform, proposed by the European Commission as part of its Customs Union overhaul, comes after a surge in small parcels shipped directly to EU consumers. According to the Commission, around 5.8 billion low-value consignments entered the EU in 2025, equivalent to roughly 12 million parcels every day. Approximately 90% of those shipments originated from China , with platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress accounting for a significant share of the volume.

Under the new framework, every imported parcel will require a customs declaration, including consignments valued below €150, which previously benefited from simplified procedures.

Online marketplaces also face a handling fee on direct-to-consumer shipments. The European Commission has proposed a €2 fee for parcels handled through the Import One Stop Shop (IOSS) system and €3 for consignments processed outside that scheme.

The measure still requires approval by EU member states and the European Parliament, but customs reforms introducing stricter controls have begun taking effect from July. Reuters has reported that the proposed fee is intended to help national customs authorities manage the rapidly growing volume of imports.

Consumers may therefore face higher final prices as retailers pass on some of the additional administrative and customs costs.

EU officials argue that the existing system has struggled to cope with the explosive growth of ultra-low-cost online shopping.

The Council of the European Union and the European Commission say the reforms aim to reduce unfair competition for European businesses, strengthen customs enforcement and improve checks on products entering the single market. Authorities have repeatedly raised concerns about unsafe products, undervalued shipments and counterfeit goods entering through high-volume e-commerce channels.

The Commission estimates that the previous customs framework was designed for a far smaller volume of imports and no longer reflects today's digital retail market.

“All persons who do not take a direct part or who have ceased to take part in hostilities, whether or not their liberty has been restricted, are entitled to respect for their person, honour, convictions, and religious practices. They shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction. It is prohibited to order that there shall be no survivors.” 

So why, then, are civilians in Sudan continuing to endure dehumanising conditions? These range from severe hunger and displacement to sexual violence and summary executions.

As a result of the war – recently described by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights as an “unfolding catastrophe” – suffering is being normalised, necessitating urgent international action.

“Civilians have been subjected to siege-like conditions for 18 months, battered by relentless drone strikes, as the Sudanese armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) battle for control,” says Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

He highlights the series of grave atrocities reported in al-Obeid, the North Kordofan state capital, where about 15 drone strikes killed 45 civilians and injured 41 in the month of June alone, noting that the actual number of casualties is likely higher.

The conflict, which began in 2023, is a vicious power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary RSF. It broke out after the fall of the country’s former leader, Omar al-Bashir. It has displaced over 9 million people from their homes, setting up the world’s worst humanitarian crisis – driven by two extreme sides, both unwilling to heed calls for accountability.

In 2025, nearly 250,000 civilians, half of them children, were subjected to prolonged starvation in Sudan’s North Darfur city of al-Fashir during an RSF siege. Thousands of grave human rights violations were documented.

“RSF and allied Arab militia carried out widespread attacks, including mass killings and summary executions, sexual violence, abductions for ransom, torture and ill-treatment, detention, disappearances, pillage and the use of children in hostilities. In many cases, attacks were directed against civilians and persons hors de combat based on their ethnicity or perceived affiliation,” a UN report concluded.

These events reveal a deeply saddening pattern of profound human suffering, but what’s more concerning is its reckless continuity, with no end in sight.

In a world where the law is becoming increasingly sidelined by the interests and egos of individuals, there is a need for deeper reflection. The international community must unite to defend the principles of justice for the victims, relentlessly seek accountability and advocate for peaceful resolution to the Sudan conflict.

The African Union and other continental players should be supported to lead mediation and humanitarian efforts. African solutions must be prioritised because they best understand the conflict’s many dimensions.

“External actors often simplify complex crises by supporting one side without fully acknowledging the diversity of political forces at play. This approach tends to overlook the nuanced, multifaceted nature of the situation, which involves various stakeholders with different interests, ideologies and goals. As a result, the complexity of the conflict is ignored, and a one-dimensional perspective can lead to ineffective or misguided interventions,” analysts argue.

In the same vein, and to counter the simplification, the Sudan situation must receive the media attention it deserves. This could help draw more global support. All conflicts deserve equal urgency, regardless of where they occur or whose interests they serve. The article solely represents the views of Simpson Muhwezi, a Ugandan freelance writer and development practitioner.