AliExpress fined half a billion dollars over counterfeits and dangerous goods

Tengrinews.kz — The European Commission has fined Chinese marketplace AliExpress 550 million euros for violating the requirements of the EU Digital Services Act. The fine is the largest ever imposed by the European Commission in the context of violations of online consumer protection requirements, citing DW.
According to the European Commission, the platform improperly assessed the risks associated with the sale of prohibited goods on its marketplaces. It also overestimated the effectiveness of its internal moderation systems and failed to take into account the impact of recommendation algorithms on the promotion of such products.
European regulators found that AliExpress’ system of sanctions against dishonest sellers was ineffective. In particular, several weeks after warnings were issued, counterfeit goods, dangerous toys and cosmetics continued to be sold on the platform. Many sellers also deliberately listed products under incorrect categories in order to bypass safety compliance checks.

“Scale is not an excuse; risks must be identified and addressed systematically to ensure consumers can safely shop online. Today, we are holding AliExpress to this standard and request it to take action,” said Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy.

AliExpress now has until October 20, 2026, to submit a plan to the European Commission to eliminate the violations. If the company refuses to comply with the regulator’s requirements, the platform could face additional fines.

Earlier it was reported that Kazakhstan is significantly changing the rules for purchases from foreign websites, including Amazon, AliExpress, Temu and others, due to new EAEU regulations. Now everything ordered from foreign online stores will no longer be considered ordinary goods for personal use. They have been placed in a separate category — “e-commerce goods.”
Goods worth up to 200 euros are expected to be imported without customs duty or VAT. If the purchase exceeds 200 euros, a customs duty of 5 percent and VAT of 16 percent will have to be paid. The 31-kilogram weight limit is planned to be abolished.