Europe unites against ultra-fast fashion: eight countries call on Brussels to “strengthen” mobilisation
Led by France, eight European countries are calling on the European Commission and member states to “strengthen” their “collective mobilisation” against the “systemic risks” they believe are posed by e-commerce platforms such as Shein and its competitors. The letter was sent to Brussels on Monday.
“We call on the Commission to mobilise strongly and relentlessly on the issue of unfair competition from third-country e-commerce platforms,” stated the signatory countries, namely Austria; Belgium; Spain; France; Greece; Italy; Hungary and Poland.
Investigation and stricter sanctions
The European Commission has already sent requests for information to Shein, a procedure that could lead to a formal investigation. This investigation is being called for by Serge Papin, the French minister of commerce and the initiator of this letter.
During the “competitiveness council” held in Brussels on Monday, the minister stated that this investigation “must be supplemented by provisional measures to mitigate the uncontrolled systemic risks from Shein and other platforms”. He also called for “additional sanctions” in the “proceedings already launched against Temu and AliExpress”.
Faced with the possibility of another failure at the national level, France is urging the European Commission to act. The French state had unsuccessfully attempted to suspend Shein via an administrative procedure in early November, with the court's ruling expected on December 19. The fight against systemic risks from large platforms is a European competence.
Customs checks and parcel tax
To protect consumers and businesses from “risks” such as the sale of illicit products or unfair commercial practices, the signatory countries of the letter are demanding the strict application of existing law, such as the Digital Services Act (DSA).
They are advocating for “coordinated efforts (...) to strengthen the checks carried out by” customs and consumer protection authorities. Furthermore, they are calling on the European Commission to “play an active role” and to “review existing regulations, and if necessary,” to strengthen “the obligations of online platforms”.
Finally, the signatories are calling for “the introduction of a European tax on low-value parcels,” a measure already planned at a national level, notably by France. As a reminder, EU finance ministers approved the removal of the customs duty exemption on small imported parcels in mid-November, which could come into effect as early as the first quarter of 2026.
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