Commerce Ministry spokesperson Huang Ling said on Thursday China is closely watching the EU’s new 2-euro fee on low-value imports from November 1. The ministry also announced the same day that anti-subsidy duties on US n-propanol will continue.
According to Huanqiu (Global Times), Huang said at the November 5 regular briefing that China is closely following the EU’s additional 2-euro fee on low-value imports from November 1. Since July the EU has already charged a 3-euro customs duty on such goods, so the two burdens now stack.
광고 문의 · 300×250Huang said cross-border e-commerce is a new form and model of international trade that gives businesses and consumers worldwide more choices. She hoped the EU would carefully assess the policy’s impact and create favorable conditions for China-EU cooperation in areas such as e-commerce. The Huanqiu report mentions no specific response such as retaliation.
The EU rules and the US n-propanol measure
On the EU side, a private logistics firm’s blog explains that the 2 euros is a ‘Union handling fee’ charged per item category in a parcel, regardless of parcel value, and is non-refundable. The same source says the EU counted 5.9 billion low-value items in 2025, about four times the 2022 level, and cites inspection costs and blocking unsafe goods as reasons. We could not confirm the original text from the European Commission.
On November 5 the ministry issued Announcement No. 55 of 2026, saying anti-subsidy duties on n-propanol (1-propanol) originating in the United States will continue. It takes effect November 6 and runs five years from that date. The rates are 37.7% for Dow Chemical, 34.2% for OQ Chemicals and 37.7% for other US companies.
The decision came as the duties set under Announcement No. 47 of 2020 (effective November 18, 2020), at 34.2% to 37.7%, reached the end of five years. At the request of China’s n-propanol industry an expiry review began on November 17, 2025, and the ministry concluded that if the measures ended, subsidies on US n-propanol and injury to the Chinese industry would likely continue or recur. Parties may seek administrative reconsideration or sue under Article 52 of the countervailing regulations. The US response has not been confirmed, and beyond being announced the same day, no basis for linking the two items has been confirmed.