AliExpress told European Union lawmakers on 23 March it is strengthening controls to comply with digital regulations following mounting scrutiny over the sale of unsafe and counterfeit goods on its platform.

According to Reuters, the Alibaba-owned marketplace outlined new measures as part of ongoing engagement with the European Commission, which has been investigating the company since March 2024 under the Digital Services Act. AliExpress agreed to legally binding commitments in June last year to improve oversight, but concerns have persisted over harmful and non-compliant listings.

The platform’s latest steps include reducing the visibility of adult products by default and enhancing enforcement against rule-breaking sellers. Eric Pelletier, Alibaba’s head of international government affairs, told lawmakers that “we recognise we have much more work to do,” adding that the company is addressing issues such as preventing the reappearance of illegal listings and accelerating the removal of non-compliant sellers.

Reuters reported that scrutiny intensified after the discovery in November of inappropriate dolls listed on the platform, prompting AliExpress to ban the China-based seller responsible. The incident highlighted ongoing gaps in enforcement despite earlier commitments to regulators.

European policymakers remain unconvinced about the effectiveness of the platform’s systems. Christel Schaldemose, an EU lawmaker and lead rapporteur on the Digital Services Act, said: “I will not be happy and I don’t believe in your systems until the day I see it has an impact,” citing safety concerns and competitive imbalances.

The European Commission’s focus extends beyond AliExpress to other fast-growing platforms, including Temu and Shein, which benefit from duty-free access for low-value parcels shipped into the bloc. Regulators are examining whether these models undermine compliance standards and distort competition with domestic retailers.

Data cited by Reuters shows that low-value e-commerce shipments into the EU rose by 26 per cent last year to 5.8 billion parcels. In response, the bloc is preparing to introduce fees on such shipments as part of efforts to level the playing field for businesses operating under stricter regulatory requirements.

AliExpress operates in more than 200 countries and remains a key test case for how global e-commerce platforms adapt to tightening European rules. The company’s ability to demonstrate meaningful enforcement improvements is likely to shape broader regulatory action across the sector.

---