MEPs from across the political spectrum in the European Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) have called on the Commission to take urgent action to tackle the surge in low-cost imports into the EU in a parliamentary report.
Earlier this month, Salvatore De Meo (EPP) drafted a report in the IMCO committee on product safety and e-commerce to tackle the surge of low-value goods from third countries that pose “serious risks to consumer safety and the fairness of competition, and undermined EU standards.”
Maria Guzenina (S&D) argued that the De Meo report was a good start, but “we have to highlight the urgency to act”. Parliament should demand more resources for various national authorities, such as market surveillance and customs, she added.
Describing the flood of unsafe products into the EU as a “tsunami”, Green MEP Saskia Bricmont said further action was needed to protect consumers and prevent counterfeiting. She added that it was important for the EU to propose “alternative and affordable consumption models” based on the use of local and second-hand products and a circular economy.
Guzenina echoed this sentiment, arguing that De Meo’s report fails to take into account the huge environmental impact of these low-value parcels and deliveries. “Non-EU platforms have avoided paying any environmental fees and have undermined efforts to move towards a circular economy,” she said.
For her, these platforms target “vulnerable consumers”. She believes that ambitious rules on digital fairness are urgently needed to tackle the use of addictive marketing, gamification and dark platforms. “We need to get to the root of the problem,” she added.
MEP Leila Chaibi (The Left) also wants the Commission to strengthen rules on digital fairness.
According to her, Amazon, Temu and Shein should be “banned from the EU” as long as they fail to comply with EU laws on conformity standards, as well as social and environmental norms.
On the far-right, MEP Virginie Joron (Patriots for Europe) said that the EU should do more to protect local retailers and city centres and criticised the Commission’s red tape on enforcement.
The Commission unveiled its e-commerce strategy in February, which focuses on better cooperation between the EU and national authorities. On the same day, it announced new actions against Shein under its consumer protection rules and emphasised that e-commerce companies such as Amazon, Temu and Shein face ongoing investigations under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
However, the Commission said it would wait a year before evaluating its e-commerce strategy.
[DE]