EU agrees to fine online platforms importing unsafe products

Online platforms that sell into the bloc will be treated as importers and responsible for payment of duties and product safety.

The EU does not apply customs duty on parcels valued at less than €150, which has fuelled rapid growth of online shopping platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress that send consumers packages direct from China.

The European Union agreed on Thursday to an overhaul of its customs system, including a crackdown on mainly Chinese e-commerce platforms that face potential fines if they sell illegal or unsafe products into the bloc.

The 27-nation bloc is seeking to coordinate the collection of duties and safety checks as it struggles to manage the high volume of low-value e-commerce parcels entering the bloc, with the total reaching 5.8bn in 2025.