EU justice commissioner Michael McGrath has warned that Chinese e‑commerce giants Shein and Temu could face tough sanctions after tests revealed a stream of dangerous and illegal products entering the bloc. A forthcoming EU "secret‑shopper" probe is expected to confirm widespread breaches, including baby soothers whose beads detach and block airways, raincoats containing banned chemicals, and sunglasses lacking UV filters.
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McGrath said he was "shocked" by the findings and vowed to protect consumers and level the playing field for European businesses forced to meet far stricter safety rules. EU rapid‑alert system Safety Gate logged a record 4,137 unsafe‑product warnings last year, with cosmetics, toys and electrical goods topping the list.
About 12 million low‑value parcels now arrive daily from non‑EU online sellers, double 2023 levels, fuelling calls to scrap the €150 duty‑free threshold and impose handling fees to fund extra customs checks. Brussels is also considering a new EU‑wide customs authority.
The commission will discuss the issue with Beijing and may mirror recent US measures that slapped 30 % tariffs on such imports. 'Europe must avoid a tariff‑against‑tariff battle,' McGrath noted, 'but we will act if our laws are ignored.'
Source: www.ehandel.se