The Central Association of German Opticians (ZVA) is calling for more consistent market surveillance to ensure corrective spectacles imported directly from non-EU countries comply with European Medical Device Regulation (MDR). While local opticians face strict documentation and testing duties, the ZVA argues that international online platforms often bypass equivalent checks. Citing EU Commission data showing only 387,588 customs interventions against approximately 5.9 billion low-value e-commerce goods entering the EU in 2025, the association warns of significant control deficits. Although new EU customs rules took effect in July 2026 and mandatory product identifiers are scheduled for November, the ZVA insists these measures do not replace actual safety verification. The organization has submitted a position paper to political debates on MDR revision, advocating for targeted test purchases and better traceability to protect consumers and ensure fair competition.
Starting November 1, the European Union will levy a permanent two-euro handling fee on each type of item in packages sent directly to consumers from outside the bloc. This measure aims to curb the influx of low-value imports, particularly from China via platforms like AliExpress and Temu, and compensate customs authorities for increased workload. The fee applies regardless of parcel value and is separate from the temporary three-euro duty on small parcels introduced in July. While the EU states consumers will not pay this fee directly, online marketplaces and sellers are responsible for it and may pass costs to buyers through price adjustments. Officials note that imports have fallen by approximately 64 percent since the July duty was implemented, though they caution it is too early to draw firm conclusions.
Editorial relevance: The new EU handling fee directly impacts cross-border online retail logistics and costs for major e-commerce platforms selling into the European market.
Italian manufacturers' association ANFAO reported that Italian eyewear exports reached €2.7 billion in the first half of 2026, a 2.7% year-on-year decline. While total exports fell due to a significant 25.1% drop in shipments to the US (€320 million), monthly trends showed gradual recovery, with June exports rising 3.7%. Europe strengthened its position as the primary market, growing 4.4%, led by gains in Germany (+7.1%) and Poland (+20.9%). Conversely, Asia saw a 6.0% decrease. Domestically, Italy's optical retail market remained stable at €1.8 billion (+0.3%), outperforming broader European declines. ANFAO President Lorraine Berton emphasized geographic diversification as essential for competitiveness amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainties.
Italian eyewear industry exports reached slightly over €2.7 billion in the first half of 2026, a 2.7% decrease year-on-year, according to data from ANFAO. While sunglasses and frames exports fell by 3.7% and 1.1% respectively, lens exports grew by 6.0%. The sector showed improving monthly trends, moving from a 14.3% drop in January to positive growth of 3.0% in April and 3.7% in June. The US market remained a significant burden, with frame and sunglasses exports there falling 25.1% to approximately €320 million; ANFAO stated that without this decline, overall exports would have grown. Europe served as a key growth driver, with frame and sunglasses exports rising 4.4%, led by Poland (+20.9%), Portugal (+13.4%), Germany (+7.1%), and Spain (+3.5%). Other regions saw mixed results, including strong growth in Hong Kong (+72.9%) and Turkey (+7.8%), but declines in China (-22.8%), Mexico (-20.0%), and the UAE (-20.9%). ANFAO expressed cautious optimism for the second half of 2026, citing ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainties.
Italian eyewear exports totaled €2.7 billion in the first half of 2026, a 2.7% decrease year-over-year, according to ANFAO data reported by OptikNow. The decline was driven by a sharp 25.1% drop in exports to the United States, representing over €107 million in lost value, while the Americas region fell 20.1%. Conversely, Europe grew as the primary stabilizing market with a 4.4% increase, led by gains in Germany, Spain, Portugal, Poland, and Hungary. By category, lenses rose 6.0%, frames dipped 1.1%, and sunglasses fell 3.7%. Monthly trends showed recovery after a weak January, with growth recorded in April and June. The domestic Italian optical retail market remained stable at €1.8 billion, up 0.3%.