China's E-commerce Low-Cost Parcels Flood Greek Market, Local Businesses Call for EU Emergency Intervention

Chinese e-commerce platforms Temu and SHEIN are rapidly expanding in Greece, delivering up to 50,000 duty-free parcels daily, accounting for 91% of low-value cross-border packages in the EU. For every 5 euros Greek consumers spend on e-commerce, 1 euro goes to Chinese platforms, with annual transaction volumes estimated between 529 million and 627 million euros. Local businesses face disadvantages due to tariff and compliance costs, resulting in annual economic losses of 188.1 million to 204.3 million euros. The EU plans to impose a 3-euro tariff by 2026, though details remain undefined. Greece is calling for an emergency mechanism to restrict non-compliant platforms and protect fairness in the domestic market.