Austrian Retail Association Criticizes Parcel Tax Policy, Warns of Impact on Domestic E-commerce

On May 22, the Austrian Retail Association (Handelsverband) issued a strong criticism of the country's proposed policy to impose a ?2 tax on each parcel, labeling it a potential "own goal" miscalculation. The association argued that while the government positions this measure as a response to Temu and Shein, its actual impact will fall more heavily on domestic and European online retailers with annual revenues exceeding 100 million euros. It is also expected to indirectly affect approximately 4,000 small and medium-sized businesses that operate on these platforms. Rainer Will, the association's managing director, stated ahead of the World Cup that this policy represents a clear strategic misstep. He cited the poor outcomes of similar policies in France and Italy as reference points, emphasizing that it would be better to wait for the EU-level customs reform scheduled for 2028 rather than unilaterally implementing measures that could have negative consequences. [This article is sourced from Ebrun Go, an automated writing robot developed by Ebrun. It uses algorithms to deliver e-commerce industry intelligence in real-time. This 'dog' is still young; feel free to contact run@ebrun.com or leave comments to help it grow.]