The European Commission has imposed a €550 million fine on AliExpress, accusing the e-commerce platform of failing to take adequate measures to prevent the sale of illegal, unsafe and counterfeit products. The decision marks one of the European Union's most significant enforcement actions under the Digital Services Act (DSA) and forms part of a broader crackdown on Chinese online marketplaces.
According to the Commission, AliExpress failed to implement an effective system to detect and remove illegal products from its platform. The investigation, launched in 2024, also found that the company had too few human moderators relative to the volume of products requiring oversight, while its compliance procedures could be easily circumvented by sellers.
Brussels said some merchants were able to reclassify products to avoid stricter checks, allowing thousands of non-compliant items—including unsafe toys, hazardous cosmetics and counterfeit goods—to remain available on the platform. In several cases, products that had been reported stayed online for weeks before being removed.
The Commission also criticized AliExpress' enforcement system, arguing that the platform failed to properly apply its own sanctions policy by allowing sellers that had already been penalized for violations to continue operating. Its brand verification system, designed to prevent counterfeit sales, was also deemed ineffective and insufficiently robust to stop abuse.
The fine comes just days after the European Union introduced a fixed €3 duty on low-value parcels worth less than €150 imported from outside the bloc, a measure expected to have a significant impact on the business models of Chinese e-commerce platforms such as AliExpress, Shein and Temu.
AliExpress now has until October 20, 2026, to submit an action plan outlining how it intends to address the Commission's concerns. The European Commission will then assess the plan within two months and decide whether further measures are necessary.
The company rejected the allegations, saying it has invested substantial resources in risk assessment, product safety and consumer protection. In a statement, AliExpress described the €550 million fine as "disproportionate," arguing that it does not accurately reflect its established compliance framework or the significant proactive improvements it has implemented. The company added that it is carefully reviewing the decision and considering all available options.