Foster, C. G. 2025. Can Logistics Rules Effectively Discipline Labour Issues in E-Commerce Platforms: The Case of De Minimis, Paper presented at RDW 2025, Geneva, Switzerland, July
Abstract
This paper seeks to examine de minimis regulations. These are rules that govern the deregulation of small packages moving across borders. Although originally intended to simplify parcel logistics, these rules have been appropriated by cross-border e-commerce platforms such as Temu, Shein and AliExpress to enable low-cost direct sales from Asia.
Digital platforms have been argued to be leading to significant labour challenges. This includes e-commerce platforms, where labour challenges relate to the fragmented nature of platformized sellers, their intense competition and platform power. As a consequence of small package logistics (exploiting de minimis rules), importing countries often have limited ability to regulate platforms and their incoming goods in e-commerce.
Aligned with emerging challenges, policymakers are seeking to reform de minimis, with labour issues being a core part of the justification. For example, the EU reform targets Temu and Shein, who have been argued not to “play on a level playing field” in terms of labour. In the US, Trump has introduced several Presidential Orders around de minimis, which centred on the argument that it is “facilitating illegal imports of goods linked to forced labour”.
Although de minimis has been discussed within the technical trade literature, there has been very little systematic understanding of its link to platforms, digital infrastructure and labour conditions. To examine such debates, the paper will draw on two conceptual ideas from geography – platform infrastructure and infrastructural labour to consider the evolution of platforms in the global economy and the role of labour within this assemblage.
Drawing on these theories and policy analysis, the paper tracks the emergence of de minimis regulations and how de minimis reform aligns with a broad set of agendas. Overall, based on this analysis, the paper argues that de minimis rules are an important prong of building a labour regime that disciplines problematic platform labour. However, given the ability of platform infrastructure to evolve, suggestions may be symbolic with limited impact without deeper reforms.