Ep 377: EU plans for fee on inbound cross-border parcels
Release Date: 07/21/2025
Postal Hub podcast
Carmen Cureu, Market Research Director at Geopost, unpacks Geopost's most recent e-shopper barometer research, covering parcel lockers, returns, consumer communications and more. Key factors driving e-commerce, including convenience and price Parcel volumes and online shopper numbers in Europe Consumer delivery preferences and out-of-home delivery Growth in popularity of parcel lockers and parcel shops (PUDO points) Generational trends in e-commerce and delivery Factors influencing e-commerce return volumes Role of OOH in returns Cross-border shopping behaviour Delivery expectations...
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Bloq.it CRO João Lopes on finding locations for parcel lockers, maximising parcel locker usage, e-commerce returns, drop-boxes, secondhand marketplaces, and more. Priorities for setting up a parcel locker network, in particular proximity Analysing customer behaviour to determine locker locations Understanding why some parcel locker locations won't work Autonomous parcel lockers, including batteries and solar power Maximising parcel locker usage, including e-commerce returns Drop box solution and dealing with non-standard return parcels Monitoring and clearing drop boxes Drop...
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CTT Chief Financial Officer Guy Pacheco discusses the transformation of Portugal's national postal operator. We cover: Significant events that started CTT thinking about transformation Key pillars underpinning CTT's transformation Importance of the pan-Iberian market in CTT's transformation efforts Designing a B2C-ready network covering all of Spain and Portugal Perception of Iberia as a single market Making CTT more customer-centric M&A as a competitive advantage and gaining new capabilities CTT's acquisitions, partnerships and joint ventures, including logistics,...
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Laura Shields and Garrett Byrne from An Post, along with Peter DeSantis from Giro, share how An Post was able to deliver 48% more parcels to more delivery points without increasing the number of hours worked in its last mile delivery network. Taking a test-and-learn approach to route optimisation and network design Key pressure points for An Post, including falling letter volumes, growth in parcel volumes, and dealing with fixed costs in a competitive market Parcel growth trends for An Post Implementing change across numerous sites Need to keep staff and unions engaged during periods...
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Kate Muth, Executive Director at IMAG (International Mailers Advisory Group), shares an update on tariffs, de minimis, and international low value parcels. Update on US Supreme Court hearings on tariffs Next steps for US tariffs Expectations and timings Scope of Supreme Court case What happens if the Supreme Court rules the President doesn't have power to impose tariffs? The prospect of a refund process Separate de minimis case Postal operators collecting and remitting US duties for postal items Low value goods in the international postal stream UK low value threshold for customs duties EU...
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Why is out-of-home delivery popular in Norway? And can parcel lockers work in the freezing cold? Håvard Femtehjell, Head of Parcel Locker Development at Posten Bring, discusses: Overview of Posten's out-of-home delivery network, including parcel lockers and parcel collection points Long-term trends in out-of-home delivery in Norway Delivering small packets with letters Partnering for retailers parcel collection points Finding parcel locker locations Parcel locker performance in very cold climates Evolution of customer delivery preferences Role of proximity in customer delivery preferences...
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Tim Davies, Head of Out of Home and SME Accounts at DPD UK, talks about PUDOs, parcel lockers, and out-of-home delivery. We cover: Growth in DPD UK's out-of-home delivery network Composition of the OOH network How the DPD Parcel Shop PUDO relationship works Partnerships with major retailers Exclusivity vs carrier-neutral PUDO approach from retailers DPD UK's relationship with the UK Post Office - more than just PUDOs In-store parcel scanning technology, including integrations Trends in UK OOH delivery, including parcel lockers Retailers' interest in OOH delivery Returns via OOH In-flight...
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President Trump has decided to suspend duty-free de minimis for the USA, effective 29 August. Aaron Bezzant, Head of Supply Chain at Zonos, discusses the background to the President's Executive Order, what it means for e-commerce and the postal world, and what steps need to be taken to be compliant. The details of President Trump's Executive Order Previous attempt at eliminating de minimis for the postal stream Customs and Border Protection and USPS collection processes Duties for China Post and Hongkong Post shipments Tactics used to exploit previous de minimis crackdown on Chinese-made...
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Dr Selene Silvestri, Research Scientist at the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, discusses the environmental impact of e-commerce packaging. Measuring the cost of e-commerce packaging Growth in e-commerce and impact on packaging Benefits of recycling cardboard packaging E-commerce shifting the cardboard recycling burden from retailers to consumers Obstacles to higher recycling rates Current models to encourage recycling Regulations on reducing empty space in parcels Reducing the weight of packaging Reverse logistics framework to support recycling Efficiency and convenience of...
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Roel Gevaers, professor in last mile logistics and supply chain at the university of Antwerp, discusses moves to impose fees on inbound low-value parcels from outside the EU. EU and EC proposal to add €2 fee for inbound international parcels Fee for cross-dock parcels from overseas Focus on import-free parcels Huge volumes of Chinese parcels entering Europe each year EU and EC intentions with this fee - is it a symbolic action? Timeframes - contrasting Europe with the USA Future plans for full customs reform Consumer protection and standards How the €2 fee will be collected Passing costs...
info_outline- EU and EC proposal to add €2 fee for inbound international parcels
- Fee for cross-dock parcels from overseas
- Focus on import-free parcels
- Huge volumes of Chinese parcels entering Europe each year
- EU and EC intentions with this fee - is it a symbolic action?
- Timeframes - contrasting Europe with the USA
- Future plans for full customs reform
- Consumer protection and standards
- How the €2 fee will be collected
- Passing costs on to the consumer
- Likelihood of impact on low-value cross-border parcel volumes
- Impact of US tariffs on Chinese exports to other nations
- Is the proposed fee legal?
- EU member countries' responsibilities for customs