The satisfaction of AIRES, the Associazione Italiana Retailer Elettrodomestici Specializzati for the report approved at the European Parliament: «A courageous and authoritative initiative, led by an Italian MEP: a source of pride for our whole country»
Aires, Associazione Italiana Retailer Elettrodomestici Specializzati, which brings together the main companies and distribution groups specialising in household appliances and consumer electronics, expressed its appreciation for the work carried out by the Honourable Salvatore De Meo, rapporteur of the report recently approved by the European Parliament on the revision of the EU customs system.
The text rigorously tackles the critical aspects of the current EU customs system, in particular the anomaly represented by the duty-free threshold for online purchases of less than EUR 150, which has allowed a huge quantity of goods to enter Europe, often lacking the security and traceability requirements demanded of European companies. In 2024 alone, it is estimated that over 4.6 billion products below this threshold entered the European market, with an average of 12 million items per day.
Strengthening fairness and security in the european market
De Meo’s report proposes an organic package of measures that goes in the direction of greater transparency and accountability of the entire system. Among the priorities identified: the strengthening of customs controls, the abolition of the exemption below 150€, the obligation of certain identification for online sellers, the digitalization of customs processes through innovative tools such as the “product passport”, and the harmonisation of sanctions at European level. Particular attention is also paid to combating unfair commercial practices, such as misleading marketing and price manipulation.
«We would like to thank Mr De Meo for taking up with courage and strategic vision an issue that is as complex as it is crucial for our sector», said Davide Rossi, Director General of AIRES and EuCER Council.
«His work», continues Rossi, «was not only technically unexceptionable and widely supported at parliamentary level, but also represents a source of pride for our country: it is an Italian parliamentarian who has led this important battle for fairness, transparency and security».
AIRES, through the European Federation of the sector EuCER Council, has supported from the beginning the urgency of a regulatory intervention in this field, and will continue to work with the European institutions to ensure that the report is rapidly and concretely implemented in legislation.
