EU targets online platforms selling unsafe products with new fines
The European Union has agreed to overhaul its customs rules, imposing stricter responsibilities on e-commerce platforms that sell unsafe or illegal products into the bloc, particularly targeting Chinese online retailers.
Under the new system, online platforms will be treated as importers, responsible for paying duties and ensuring product safety. Companies repeatedly violating EU rules could face fines ranging from 1% to 6% of their total sales into the EU over the previous 12 months.
Currently, parcels valued under €150 ($174) are exempt from customs duties, fueling growth for platforms like Shein, Temu and AliExpress. The EU plans to end this exemption, introducing a €3 fee from July and an additional handling charge from November 1.
The EU also announced that Lille will host the future EU Customs Authority (EUCA), overseeing a centralised digital hub for tracking incoming goods. The hub will begin covering e-commerce consignments in 2028 and all imports by March 2034.
Next week, a nine-member EU delegation will visit China to engage with regulators and major e-commerce companies, including Shein, Alibaba, and Temu, addressing challenges in digital trade and ensuring fair competition.
The move follows a European Commission study showing that 60–65% of imported cosmetics, food supplements, and personal protective equipment, such as bicycle helmets, fail to meet EU safety standards. EU authorities said the changes aim to tackle “systemic breaches of EU laws and the high volume of non-compliant small parcels” entering from non-EU platforms.
