In my opinion, the problem is not paying VAT, but rather the cost, delay and bureaucracy that will be involved in actually charging it.
The reason that the EU post-poned this new rule to July was exactly because there was no way of actually handling it, especially with the increased purchases due to COVID.
On the other hand, I am not that worried. Gearbest, Banggood and similar already offer purchases from their "EU stores", which are really just an intermediate at tax havens like Netherlands. They receive the package, put it in a new envelope and ship tax-free to the customer (EU to EU). Also, 23% VAT (in case of Portugal) on a 20 Euro purchase is irrelevant, if there are no further costs involved, which I do fear (handling, invoicing, VAT application fee, etc.).
What really annoys me is how goverments in democratic countries (EU, US, etc.) are giving increasingly no shit about what the people who elected them actually want. And then they get surprised with a sudden raise of right-wing extremist parties.
So we are living in a global economy.
Big companies shift their production to Asia and their headquarters to Ireland (tax haven within the EU).
They don't pay any tax, destroy local/regional labour.
But it is the common citizen who buys a stupid Chinese gadget for less than 20 Euro, that needs to be taxed?
Why not implement a global abolition on customs?
Why not abolish VAT, one of the most injust taxes there is? Remember that poor people pay as much VAT as rich people!
There should only be one single tax: a fixed percentage on the income. Period. If you make 100 Euro/month, you pay x%. If you make 10.000 Euro/month, you pay the same x%. Eliminate all the remaining tax laws and save on the whole finance ministry, which becomes obsolete. Every citizen needs to contribute with SOMETHING. Even those that are poor. And a fixed percentage already makes the richer pay more than the poor.
So, in my opinion: screw customs, VAT and present goverements!
Sorry for the rage.
Vitor