The European Union has decided to strengthen checks on goods imported from Chinese online platforms such as Shein and Temu. The reason for this was the increase in cases of detection of products that do not meet EU quality and safety standards. This information was provided by The Guardian.

According to representatives of the European Commission, a significant number of goods imported into the EU, on which Europe spends billions every year, do not comply with its legislative standards. This puts European companies that comply with the rules at a disadvantage compared to competitors selling unsafe or counterfeit goods.

European Commission Vice-President Henna Virkkunen noted that the growth of e-commerce has led to many challenges. Therefore, the European Union seeks to minimize risks to the health and safety of consumers who are exposed to unsafe products. She also stressed that a significant part of the imported goods were counterfeit and did not meet the declared characteristics, making them potentially dangerous.

According to the publication, 4.6 billion low-value parcels were imported into the EU last year alone, which is 12 million per day, which is three times more than in 2022. Almost 90% of them came from China, where Temu and Shein generate and ship most of their goods.

In addition, the European Commission expressed concern about the negative impact of cheap imports on the environment. In particular, they noted the increase in pollution and the difficulty of waste disposal in Europe due to the large flow of low-quality and toxic goods imported from other countries.

EU governments called for the abolition of duty exemptions for goods worth less than 150 euros and the introduction of a handling fee for retailers. This would compensate for the costs of ensuring compliance with EU rules.