Chinese Shopping Platform AliExpress Faces EU Scrutiny Over Safety Violations

European Union lawmakers questioned executives from Chinese online retailer AliExpress about dangerous and fake products being sold on their platform. The company promised improvements but faces ongoing investigation over compliance with EU digital regulations.

European Union officials confronted Chinese e-commerce giant AliExpress on Monday about enhanced safety measures, as the platform faces mounting pressure over hazardous and counterfeit merchandise reaching European consumers.

European authorities have intensified oversight of rapidly expanding Chinese retail platforms including AliExpress, Temu, and Shein, which deliver inexpensive goods from China to Europe without customs duties through a low-value shipping exemption. The EU launched a formal probe into Shein last month under its comprehensive Digital Services Act governing major online platforms.

The Alibaba-owned marketplace, which operates across more than 200 nations, has faced European Commission scrutiny since March 2024 and pledged in June to implement legally enforceable improvements to its oversight systems.

However, a Reuters investigation in November discovered inappropriate childlike products being sold on the platform, prompting AliExpress to remove the Chinese vendor responsible for those listings.

The company has promised to automatically restrict visibility of adult-oriented merchandise, according to Eric Pelletier, Alibaba’s international government affairs director, who addressed European legislators.

“At the same time we recognise we have much more work to do,” Pelletier said. “We are actively engaging with the Commission to address the outstanding issues, including preventing the reappearance of illegal listings, strengthening penalties and accelerating the closure of noncompliant sellers.”

EU legislator Christel Schaldemose, who leads parliamentary work on the Digital Services Act, expressed skepticism about the company’s promises.

“I will not be happy and I don’t believe in your systems until the day I see it has an impact,” Schaldemose said.

“My main concern is of course safety, but I also think that it is an unfair competition towards the companies who are complying with the rules we have in EU,” said Schaldemose.

Low-value online shipments entering Europe surged 26% in the past year to 5.8 billion packages. European officials plan to impose charges on these deliveries to create more balanced competition with European retailers.