EU plans crackdown on ‘very dangerous’ Chinese parcels
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EcommerceAdd to myFTGet instant alerts for this topicManage your delivery channels hereRemove from myFTEU plans crackdown on ‘very dangerous’ Chinese parcelsBloc’s justice commissioner says action needed to protect consumers from products sold on platforms such as Shein An estimated 90 per cent of the 4.6bn low-value parcels sent to the EU in 2024 came from China © Jade Gao/AFP/Getty ImagesEU plans crackdown on ‘very dangerous’ Chinese parcels on x (opens in a new window)EU plans crackdown on ‘very dangerous’ Chinese parcels on facebook (opens in a new window)EU plans crackdown on ‘very dangerous’ Chinese parcels on linkedin (opens in a new window)EU plans crackdown on ‘very dangerous’ Chinese parcels on whatsapp (opens in a new window) Save EU plans crackdown on ‘very dangerous’ Chinese parcels on x (opens in a new window)EU plans crackdown on ‘very dangerous’ Chinese parcels on facebook (opens in a new window)EU plans crackdown on ‘very dangerous’ Chinese parcels on linkedin (opens in a new window)EU plans crackdown on ‘very dangerous’ Chinese parcels on whatsapp (opens in a new window) Save Andy Bounds and Laura Dubois in BrusselsPublishedDecember 14 2025Jump to comments sectionPrint this pageUnlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.The EU plans a crackdown on “very dangerous” products sold on online platforms including China’s Shein and Alibaba, its justice commissioner has said, admitting “we need to do better” to protect European consumers.Michael McGrath told the Financial Times in an interview that the bloc was not protecting its citizens sufficiently from a rising tide of unsafe goods sent directly from China to customers’ homes.“I am very concerned about the volume of unsafe products coming into the European Union. I think we have a duty to better protect EU citizens, and we also have a duty to European businesses to ensure that they are operating on a level playing field,” McGrath said. The Irish commissioner said that “year in, year out” national authorities found products that were “very dangerous, with life-changing consequences for individuals” and which could “even cause loss of life”.Customs and enforcement officers were overwhelmed, with only “a tiny proportion of the unsafe products coming into the European Union” being stopped, McGrath admitted. “That’s not good enough.”Some 4.6bn low-value parcels entered the EU in 2024, and the number is continuing to double every two years, he said. Around 90 per cent come from China. Michael McGrath said that ‘year in, year out’ national authorities found products that were ‘very dangerous, with life changing consequences for individuals’ © Virginia Mayo/APMcGrath’s plan includes handing the European Commission powers to investigate the most serious cross-border cases to take the pressure off underfunded national authorities.He will also propose updating consumer protection and market surveillance regulations. “The current system is not fit for purpose.”He said when dangerous goods were identified, often by consumer groups, platforms usually got away with taking them off sale. “I think there needs to be a stronger deterrent,” he said. Cosmetics and toys are among the most common types of products detected.EU technology regulations class marketplaces as platforms, not as retailers, so they are not liable for products bought via their websites, which come direct from retailers usually outside the EU.However, they have to co-operate with authorities and remove problem products from sale once identified.A recent survey by industry body Toy Industries of Europe found large numbers of dangerous toys were still being sold online in the EU, including toxic slime and some with batteries that could be easily removed and swallowed.Last month, Brussels said it was examining Shein’s sale of potentially illegal products, including childlike sex dolls and weapons, under its Digital Services Act, which regulates online content. Brussels has asked for additional information from the company, which could lead to an in-depth investigation and fines.It followed a move by Paris to suspend the site in France for allegedly advertising the products. France is also seeking to ban AliExpress, owned by Chinese tech group Alibaba, and Portugal-headquartered Joom for similar reasons.The EU has also agreed to end a tariff exemption for shipments worth less than €150, which will force retailers to provide customs information and a designated representative in the bloc, by 2028 at the latest. In the meantime, €3 per type of product in each parcel will be imposed from July 1, finance ministers agreed on Friday.By 2028 the EU also aims to create an EU-wide customs tracking hub and a handling fee per package of at least €2. Romania is already introducing a parcel charge of around €5. The US abolished its own $800 threshold this year, a move McGrath said had significantly reduced the volume of small parcels sent there.Shein said it “shared the Commission’s goal of ensuring that consumers in the EU can shop online with peace of mind”. It was “fully co-operating” with French authorities.Joom and Alibaba did not respond to requests for comment.Additional reporting by Paola Tamma in BrusselsReuse this content (opens in new window) CommentsJump to comments sectionPromoted Content Follow the topics in this article EU business regulation Add to myFT EU tech regulation Add to myFT Ecommerce Add to myFT Chinese business & finance Add to myFT Andy Bounds Add to myFT Comments