Published on 5 February 2025, the European Commission’s E -Commerce Communication outlines a comprehensive EU toolbox aimed at ensuring safe and sustainable e-commerce.
It addresses the challenges posed by the surge in online shopping and imports, focusing on consumer safety, environmental sustainability, and fair competition.
Key measures include:
Key measures include:
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Regulatory Reforms: Proposals for customs reform, including removing duty exemptions for low-value consignments and introducing a handling fee for imported goods, to enhance control capacities and ensure compliance with EU rules.
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Enhanced Enforcement: Coordinated actions among customs, market surveillance, and other authorities to tackle non-compliant products, including dangerous and counterfeit goods.
This includes a Priority Control Area (PCA) for intensified import controls and joint enforcement actions on product safety and counterfeiting. - Digital Tools: Implementation of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) for better product traceability and compliance verification, and the use of AI-enabled web crawlers to detect illegal products online.
- Consumer Protection: Strengthening the responsibilities of online marketplaces under the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA), including obligations to counter illegal goods, ensure compliance by design, and provide transparency in product listings and recommendations.
- Sustainability: Measures to reduce the environmental impact of e-commerce, including the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation and extended producer responsibility (EPR) requirements.
- International Cooperation: Bilateral cooperation with countries of origin for imported goods, particularly China, to raise awareness and ensure compliance with EU product safety rules.
The impact on digital platforms includes stricter compliance requirements, enhanced responsibilities for ensuring product safety and transparency, and potential penalties for non-compliance. Platforms will need to implement robust measures to verify the legality of products and traders, and cooperate with authorities to remove illegal goods. The initiatives aim to create a safer, more sustainable, and fairer e-commerce environment in the EU.