MEP Peter Agius has written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urging urgent action over the EU’s upcoming €3 levy on low-value imports, warning that the measure could hit Maltese consumers particularly hard.The new charge is set to come into force on 1st July and will apply to goods imported into the EU from outside the bloc, including purchases from popular online platforms such as Temu, Shein and AliExpress.In his letter, Agius said confusion remains widespread just days before the levy takes effect, with many consumers still unsure how the fee will be charged, when it will apply and whether multiple charges could be imposed on a single order.He called on the European Commission to launch an immediate public information campaign explaining the changes.However, Agius’ biggest concern is the impact the measure could have on Malta’s cost of living.According to estimates cited in the letter, Maltese consumers could collectively end up paying around €15 million every year in additional charges once the levy comes into force.Speaking specifically about Malta and Gozo, Agius argued that island states are being disproportionately affected because consumers already face higher shipping costs and fewer alternatives than mainland Europeans.To illustrate the issue, he pointed to a real-life example where shipping a 500-gram parcel to Malta costs around €26 from Germany and €32 from Italy, compared to just €6.50 from Shenzhen, China.“The proposed €3 levy will effectively compound cost-of-living increases without providing the much-needed European alternatives to shopping from the Chinese giants,” he wrote.While acknowledging the EU’s concerns around product safety and unfair competition, Agius questioned how the new charge would actually address those issues.“Consumers are asking: how will I be protected from a faulty product by paying an extra €3?” he said.Rather than simply increasing costs for shoppers, Agius proposed a number of solutions aimed at helping European businesses compete more effectively with Chinese e-commerce platforms.Among them are dedicated measures for islands within upcoming EU delivery legislation, improved freight arrangements for peripheral regions and the creation of European logistics and fulfilment hubs that could help small and medium-sized businesses compete with companies like Temu and Shein.His intervention comes just days before the new customs charge is expected to begin, with Maltese shoppers now facing the prospect of paying additional fees on many of their online purchases.For thousands of people who regularly rely on low-cost overseas platforms, the countdown to 1st July has officially begun.Do you think Malta should be exempt from these extra charges?•