International trade relations are changing – particularly noticeably for companies that import books, toys or printed products from China. New customs duties and tax regulations are not only making business with the Far East more expensive, but also riskier and slower. This is shaking up the industry – and at the same time opening up opportunities for regional suppliers.
What is specifically affected?
The new import duties affect a large number of product categories, including in particular:
- books (especially large-volume offset productions),
- Toys (in particular plastic articles and electronic toys),
- printed products (e.g. packaging, operating instructions or catalogs).
These measures are often part of political strategies to reduce economic dependencies or to respond to market distortions. At the same time, administrative requirements are increasing – from proof of sustainability (e.g. EU deforestation regulation) to tax reporting obligations.
What changes are companies feeling?
Many industry players report that:
- Longer delivery times due to stricter customs processes,
- Higher import costswhich are weighing on margins,
- Growing planning uncertainty due to changing regulations,
- Logistical challenges such as container shortages or port congestion.
This is particularly evident in the toy sector: The EU’s toy imports from China rose continuously from 2013 to 2023 and reached a volume of over EUR 5.4 billion in 2023. However, there was a decline in 2024reflecting the effects of tariffs and supply bottlenecks:
Nevertheless, with a market share of 80% market share, China is still the dominant supplier of EU toy imports – well ahead of countries such as Vietnam, Germany and the Czech Republic:
The impact of customs duties
A particularly drastic example can be seen in paper products: by 2025 the import import duties from China will be over 120% – while imports from other countries such as India or Mexico will be significantly cheaper or even duty-free thanks to free trade agreements:
In addition China has the lowest share of duty-free EU imports compared to other trading partnersOnly only around 45% of Chinese goods enter the EU duty-free, compared to over 70% for partners such as the UK or Vietnam:
The return of regional production
This development has a clear consequence: The demand for local, sustainable alternatives is growing. More and more companies are relying on:
- Print-on-demand instead of mass production in Asia – books and brochures are produced on demand, without storage costs and overproduction,
- Nearshoringe.g. production in Europe or Mexico – closer to the target market,
- Regional packaging service providerswho score with short delivery times, customized designs and certified quality.
One example: Elanders Print & Packaging offers just such solutions – from personalized digital printing and sustainable packaging to just-in-time fulfillment with API connection to customer systems. Sustainability standards such as FSC certification or climate-neutral shipping are already standard.
Conclusion: The challenge becomes an opportunity
The new tariffs and regulations are making imports from China more difficult – that’s a fact. But those who think flexibly and use regional production can turn this challenge into a real competitive advantage: with shorter distances, lower risks and partnerships at eye level.