Europe hits AliExpress with a record fine for selling prohibited items
Brussels fines the Alibaba platform for violating digital services regulations; the company rejects the decision and calls the fine "disproportionate."
A European Union flag behind the AliExpress, Temu, and Shein apps
The European Union (EU) imposed a fine of 550 million euros (about $629 million) on Monday on the e-commerce platform AliExpress, a subsidiary of Chinese giant Alibaba, for allowing the sale of prohibited products, including toys deemed dangerous and counterfeit cosmetics, to consumers in the bloc.
The penalty was announced by the European Commission following an investigation that lasted more than two years. According to Brussels, the company violated the Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires large platforms to diligently assess and mitigate the risks associated with the sale of illegal, dangerous, or counterfeit products.
European authorities noted that AliExpress did not take sufficient measures to prevent such items from reaching consumers, leading to the imposition of one of the most significant fines ever levied under the EU's new digital legislation.
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The company has not specified whether it will appeal the fine
"We disagree with today's decision and this disproportionate fine, which do not reflect either our established principles or the significant and proactive measures we have implemented," the company said in a statement sent to AFP.
So far, the company has not specified whether it will appeal the penalty.
Part of the European crackdown on major digital platforms
The fine is part of the European Union's push to strengthen oversight of major digital platforms and ensure greater consumer protection against the sale of illegal or unsafe products online.
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