The European Union (EU) is set to enhance regulations on international products sold via e-commerce platforms such as Shein, Temu, and Amazon, according to a draft proposal acquired by the *Financial Times*.

According to the suggested customs guidelines, these platforms will be obligated to furnish comprehensive details about products — including those offered by third-party sellers — to EU authorities prior to the reception of the items. This would enable customs officials to more effectively monitor and evaluate shipments. Importantly, the proposal would also transfer the accountability for hazardous or unlawful products from importers to the platforms themselves. E-commerce marketplaces would encounter heightened responsibility to ensure their offerings comply with EU standards.

At present, individuals in the EU who buy products from overseas are categorized as “importers” under customs legislation.

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In 2024, more than 90% of “lower-value” products entering the EU were imported from China through online marketplaces, as per the *Financial Times*. The upcoming regulations aim to alter this trend by imposing tariffs on packages that are now exempt. Extra handling fees for these imports are also being contemplated. To implement these changes, the EU intends to create a new customs body, the EU Customs Authority (EUCA), which will oversee the operations.

“The escalating influx of unsafe, counterfeit, or otherwise non-compliant products poses significant safety and health hazards for consumers, has a detrimental effect on the environment, and contributes to unfair competition for legitimate enterprises, significantly affecting competitiveness across various sectors,” the draft proposal asserts. The EUCA would be responsible for scrutinizing goods based on the given information, pinpointing potential risks even before the items are shipped or reach the EU.

The EU has already initiated multiple investigations into e-commerce platforms under its Digital Markets Act (DMA), including antitrust inquiries focused on Amazon. In late 2024, sources informed *Reuters* that Amazon is expected to encounter another antitrust investigation for allegedly favoring its own products over those of third-party vendors on its platform.

Furthermore, the EU recently prolonged its economic sanctions against Russia for an additional six months in response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The bloc is also looking into broader sanctions on imported products, including items such as (https://mashable.com/article/eu-russia-ukraine-video-game-console-sanctions-ban).