10/07/2026
The recent introduction of additional charges on parcels arriving from non-EU countries has sparked plenty of discussion across Cyprus. For many, the news feels like a long-overdue correction with the goals to improve product safety, and reduce the flood of ultra-cheap imports from platforms such as Temu, Shein and AliExpress. The new €3 customs fee on low-value parcels is part of a broader EU effort to reform e-commerce imports and encourage fairer competition.
From a sustainability perspective, there is much to support. Fast fashion has an undeniable environmental cost. Disposable products, overconsumption, and questionable manufacturing practices have contributed to a culture where buying more has become easier than repairing, creating or reusing.
But there is another side to this conversation—one that deserves attention, especially in Cyprus.
The recent introduction of additional charges on parcels arriving from non-EU countries has sparked plenty of discussion across Cyprus. For many, the news feels like a long-overdue correction with …
