AliExpress fined €550 million over illegal goods in EU case
The European Commission said AliExpress failed to curb unsafe, counterfeit and illegal products sold through its marketplace.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
2 min read
The European Commission has fined AliExpress €550 million, about $629 million, after finding that the online marketplace broke the European Union’s Digital Services Act. The decision puts new pressure on large e-commerce platforms to police listings for illegal, unsafe and counterfeit goods.
According to the Commission, AliExpress did not take effective steps to limit the spread of illegal products on its service. Regulators said the company assigned too few staff to product checks and left unsafe toys and dangerous cosmetics online for multiple weeks after those listings had been identified.
The Commission said the case covered counterfeit clothing, unsafe toys, dangerous cosmetics and other products it described as illegal or harmful. The regulator framed the conduct as a failure to meet obligations under the Digital Services Act, the EU rulebook that applies to major online platforms and services.
EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said in the Commission’s announcement that the sale of counterfeit and harmful goods online should not be treated as an unavoidable part of internet shopping. She said large platforms must identify and address risks in a systematic way so consumers can shop safely.
Largest DSA penalty so far
The fine is the biggest penalty imposed to date under the Digital Services Act, according to The Verge. It is more than twice the size of the penalty imposed on Temu, another Chinese online retailer, which The Verge reported was fined more than $230 million in May over similar DSA violations.
The AliExpress case centers on the platform’s handling of product safety and legality, rather than a single product category. The Commission said AliExpress failed to reduce the distribution of illegal products even after some unsafe items had been found.
AliExpress has until Oct. 20, 2026, to fix the breach, according to the Commission. If the company does not comply by that deadline, it could face additional periodic fines.
The decision adds to EU enforcement against large online marketplaces under the DSA. Regulators have used the law to press platforms to assess risks on their services and take action when harmful or unlawful material is found.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.