China sharply criticizes EU fine against AliExpress

According to the European Commission, some of the sellers who should have been sanctioned for selling illegal goods on the platform were not effectively penalized. Illegal products were in some cases not removed from the platform for weeks, and some of these sellers were able to continue their business activities.

Among the prohibited items offered through the platform were counterfeit clothing, unsafe toys, and dangerous cosmetics. The European Commission therefore concluded that AliExpress had not sufficiently contributed to protecting European consumers from such products.

Reaction from Beijing

China announced it would support Chinese companies in defending their rights and take effective measures to protect their interests. Beijing accuses the EU of using the fine to erect digital barriers and to disadvantage Chinese e-commerce firms in Europe.

The European Commission justified the amount of the fine with the established violations of consumer protection rules. Specific details on the calculation or possible legal remedies were not mentioned in the available reports.

The news was distributed via the dpa news channel. The categorization falls under consumer protection, as the European Commission's allegations relate to the sale of unauthorized or dangerous products to consumers in the European Union.

Outlook

The conflict between Brussels and Beijing fits into a series of disputes over access to the European market. Observers assess the tone from Beijing as unusually sharp, particularly because China explicitly speaks of "discriminatory measures" and signals potential legal action by Chinese companies.

It remains unclear whether AliExpress or the Alibaba Group itself will file legal action against the penalty decision. The question of the extent to which the European Commission will continue its sanctioning practice toward other platforms is also part of the ongoing debate over the enforcement of European consumer protection standards.