G7 Trade Ministers met in Paris on May 5–6, 2026, to discuss pressures on global trade, supply chain resilience, and fair competition. Their joint communiqué covered a wide range of issues, including low-value e-commerce shipments.
Sections 13 and 14 of the communiqué address the rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce in small parcels — the policy area that encompasses de minimis thresholds. Ministers noted the rapid growth of cross-border trade in small parcels through e-commerce and the increasing challenges it raises, recognizing the importance of strengthening G7 cooperation across trade and finance tracks to share experiences on measures aimed at promoting fair competition, enhancing compliance, improving customs risk management, ensuring product safety, and minimizing environmental impacts.
Ministers also emphasized the importance of engaging private sector stakeholders and welcomed the work carried out under a dedicated G7 task force on small parcels, which has been sharing current practices and national policy approaches.
The consensus is clear: G7 governments view the current treatment of low-value e-commerce shipments as a problem requiring coordinated action. This aligns with CAF’s longstanding position that Canada’s de minimis program — and the volume of duty-free apparel entering Canada through platforms such as Shein and Temu — creates an unlevel playing field for domestic manufacturers, brands, and retailers.
The US eliminated its de minimis program in August, 2025. Prior to the US action, Mexico had also eliminated its de minimis program. This makes Canada the only North American country that still has such a program in place.
The G7 consensus adds important international weight to calls already being made in Canada. A number of organizations — including the Retail Council of Canada, the Canadian Apparel Federation, and mmode — have asked the federal government to reconsider Canada’s de minimis program, arguing that it puts domestic businesses at a significant disadvantage.
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Reference: G7 Trade Ministers’ Communiqué, Paris, May 5–6, 2026 — French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
For more information, contact Bob Kirke, Executive Director, Canadian Apparel Federation: bkirke@apparel.ca