The charge applies to consignments worth less than €150 and is calculated by tariff category rather than per parcel. Logistics companies say the decline could indicate that consumers are cutting back on purchases or that Chinese e-commerce platforms are increasingly routing goods through warehouses within the EU. The drop comes amid growing trade tensions between Brussels and Beijing. The European Commission recently fined Chinese e-commerce platform AliExpress €550 million for failing to adequately address risks linked to illegal, unsafe and counterfeit products. European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said AliExpress had reported that nearly 15 million illegal products were recommended to users in the EU last year. The dispute forms part of a broader trade row over subsidized exports, market access and competition rules. EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is expected to assess progress in talks with China by October, while consultancy Rhodium Group estimates the bloc loses around 500 manufacturing jobs each day because of competition from subsidized Chinese imports.