By Elvira Pollina
MILAN (Reuters) -Poste Italiane sees no major impact from a European Union plan for a 2 euro levy on small inbound parcels from outside the bloc on the company’s volumes, Chief Executive Officer Matteo Del Fante said on Thursday.
However, Del Fante also said such a measure could delay plans of low-cost Chinese e-commerce platforms to set up their own logistics networks in the region.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
The proposed measure aims to curb the flood of ultra-cheap goods entering the EU from non-member countries, particularly China, which would hit Chinese e-commerce imports from companies such as Shein and Temu.
Logistics operators like state-backed Poste Italiane handle millions of parcels annually, making any change in cross-border fees potentially relevant for their business models.
QUOTES
“Usually the market re-adjusts … One or two euros will not really change the attractiveness of those platforms,” Del Fante told analysts during a post-results call.
“On the positive side, this is making it less interesting for the Chinese platforms to (set up) infrastructure themselves in Italy.”
“Looking at what is happening around the globe, the Chinese platforms are also getting organised with their own logistics. This kind of barrier puts investment appetite in a specific region a bit more distant.”
CONTEXT
The European Commission has proposed a 2 euro fee, but it is not clear when it would be imposed.
Brussels wants to accelerate the imposition of customs duties on low-value parcels entering the European Union in a bid to crack down on cheap Chinese imports that arrive in the billions each year, Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic has said.
Some EU countries appear set to introduce national handling fees. Italy is working on a tax by the end of the year to protect its fashion industry, its industry minister said on Wednesday.
Poste is the second largest logistics player in Italy behind Amazon.
(Reporting by Elvira Pollina. Editing by Jane Merriman)
