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The European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA) has welcomed the European Union’s decision to introduce a customs duty on low-value imports but says the measure is only the first step towards creating a fairer marketplace for European fishing tackle businesses.
From July 1st, the EU will begin applying a fixed €3 customs duty to consignments valued at less than €150 entering the bloc from outside the EU. A separate handling fee is also expected later this year as Brussels seeks to address the growing flood of low-value e-commerce parcels entering Europe.
For EFTTA, however, the announcement represents far more than another customs measure. It signals that European policymakers are finally acknowledging concerns the association has been raising on behalf of the tackle trade.
“This is one of the main concerns, if not the main concern, of the trade today,” said EFTTA’s Public Affairs Officer, Jan Kappel. “Our members see a clear risk in these low-value shipments and want to stop this as quickly as possible.”
EFTTA has been following developments closely and made the issue a central topic during its Angling Summit in November 2025, where customs expert Marko Uhl of Deloitte presented delegates with an overview of the EU’s planned reforms and their implications for the fishing tackle industry.
According to the European Commission, almost 5.9 billion parcels valued below €150 entered the EU during 2025, with more than 90% originating in China. The Commission believes the current system places European businesses at a competitive disadvantage while increasing the risk of unsafe or non-compliant products entering the market and creating unnecessary environmental impacts through fragmented shipments.
The new €3 duty is intended as an interim measure before the EU Customs Data Hub begins handling e-commerce imports in 2028, with the fully digital customs system becoming mandatory for all traders by 2034.
Despite welcoming the move, EFTTA believes the practical impact of the levy will be limited.
“It is a start, but we expect it to have low impact,” said Kappel. “The handling fee may also help a bit, but important issues, like the lack of control, need to be sorted out as soon as possible.”
Instead, the association believes stronger enforcement and closer political cooperation between the EU and China will ultimately be needed to close existing loopholes.
For EFTTA, the objective extends well beyond customs duties. The association wants every company selling fishing tackle into the European market to compete under the same rules.
“We seek equal enforcement of existing laws,” said Kappel. “Every product sold in the EU –regardless of origin or sales channel – should comply with the same rules on product safety, intellectual property, environmental responsibility, VAT, customs and consumer protection. Competition should be based on innovation and quality, not on regulatory loopholes, illegal copying or export subsidies.”
The association argues that European manufacturers and distributors already invest heavily in complying with constantly evolving EU legislation, while some overseas sellers avoid many of the same obligations.
Beyond customs enforcement, EFTTA also wants imported fishing tackle sellers to contribute equally to packaging waste schemes, recycling systems, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programmes and battery recycling where applicable.
“European companies already pay these costs,” Kappel noted.
Looking ahead, EFTTA hopes the latest measures will become part of a much broader effort to establish what it describes as a ‘Fair Fishing Tackle Market’ across Europe.
Its long-term vision includes the creation of a dedicated EU task force bringing together customs authorities, market surveillance agencies, online marketplaces, brand owners, retailers and fishing industry representatives to identify repeat offenders, coordinate enforcement and share intelligence across Member States.
For now, EFTTA’s message to members is that progress is being made – but the campaign is far from over.
While the new customs duty demonstrates that the European Commission is responding to industry concerns, the association expects further regulatory developments over the coming years as the Customs Data Hub is rolled out and additional enforcement measures are introduced. Until then, EFTTA says it will continue pressing policymakers to ensure European fishing tackle businesses compete on equal terms with overseas sellers.
