Weekly News Highlights

Germany imposes 23 % VAT on all small Chinese parcels (24 Nov 2025)
Berlin cancels the former €22 exemption; every cross-border B2C parcel from China now carries 23 % VAT regardless of value.

Belgium to levy €2 flat duty on non-EU parcels from 2026
Budget bill adds €2 per parcel on extra-EU consumer consignments, raising an estimated €9 bn p.a. and pre-empting the EU-wide abolition of the €150 duty-free threshold now pencilled for 2028.

Vietnam relaxes import rules for used semi-conductor & digital-tech equipment (effective 4 Jan 2026)
Second-hand chip-fab and R&D gear may enter if not on the exporter’s obsolete list, legally transferable, safe/eco-compliant, running at ≥85 % of design capacity and ≤15 % above design energy use. R&D tools are exempt from the last two criteria; other used machinery must be ≤20 years old.

Thailand tightens origin rules for U.S.-bound exports (15 Nov 2025)
Local-value threshold raised to 40 % (textiles 50 %, batteries/electronics 30 %). High-risk HS list expanded from 49 to 224 codes; blockchain traceability introduced; 20 % random factory audits; maximum fine THB 5 m for fraud. All U.S.-bound certificates will be issued solely by the Department of Foreign Trade from 1 Dec 2025.

U.S. extends 301 tariff exclusions on 178 Chinese products to 10 Nov 2026
USTR announcement of 26 Nov prolongs exemptions covering medical, solar, semi-conductor and other tech items agreed in the 1 Nov U.S.–China economic accord.