In 2026 the volume of low-value goods imported from China into the EU is four times higher than in 2022.

Omissions

• The claim attributes to '2026' data that actually describes 2025: the 5.9 billion items / 16 million parcels-a-day figure is the 2025 total (Euronews, 2026-08-27), and the 2022 baseline of 1.4 billion low-value shipments is from the European Parliament.
• The '16 million items a day' figure refers to ALL low-value items entering the EU, not specifically to goods from China; the China-specific share is about 91% of shipments.
• The 'four times higher than 2022' is a derived comparison (5.9 billion ÷ 1.4 billion ≈ 4.2x); no single source states this ratio explicitly.
• Context omitted: after the EU's €3 customs duty on small parcels took effect in 2026, Chinese low-value imports reportedly plunged by 30–40%, so the peak 2025 volume is not representative of the 2026 situation the MEP describes.

Sources

• PrimaryCouncil of the EU – Council gives final green light to new customs duty rules for small parcelsIn 2024, 4.6 billion such packages entered the EU market. 91% of small shipments arrive from China.
• SecondaryEuropean Parliament – Topics: EU targets low-value imports via e-commerce platforms4.6 billion low-value items (items under €150) were imported into the EU in 2024. This equals to 12 million parcels per day. The number of low-value shipments was 2.3 billion in 2023 and 1.4 billion in 2022.
• SecondaryEuronews – Chinese imports plunge 30% to 40% after EU tax on small parcelsIn 2025, 5.9 billion low-value items entered the EU, the equivalent of more than 16 million parcels a day.