France Leads Eight Nations Calling for EU Crackdown on Shein and E-commerce Platforms

Led by France, eight European nations are calling on the European Commission and member states to "step up" their "collective mobilisation" in response to the "systemic risks" posed by e-commerce platforms such as Shein. In a letter sent to Brussels on Monday, the signatory countries—Austria, Belgium, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Hungary, and Poland—urged the Commission to "mobilise forcefully and relentlessly on the issue of unfair competition from third-country e-commerce platforms."

The European Commission has already initiated preliminary steps by sending requests for information to Shein, a process that could potentially lead to a formal investigation. Serge Papin, France's Trade Minister and the initiator of this letter, emphasized that this investigation "must be complemented by provisional measures to mitigate the systemic risks that Shein and other platforms fail to control." Speaking at Monday's Competitiveness Council meeting in Brussels, Papin further called for "additional sanctions" in "proceedings already launched against Temu and AliExpress."

The joint European action follows France's own unsuccessful attempt to suspend Shein through administrative procedures in early November. This effort was prompted by the discovery of sex dolls with a childlike appearance being sold on the platform. Although France has referred the suspension request to the courts, with a ruling scheduled for December 19, the government is simultaneously pressing the European Commission to act, recognizing that tackling the systemic risks posed by major platforms falls within the EU's competence.

To safeguard consumers and businesses from risks such as the sale of illicit products or unfair commercial practices, the signatories are specifically advocating for enhanced enforcement of existing laws, including the Digital Services Act (DSA). The letter calls for "coordinated efforts (...) to strengthen the checks carried out by customs and consumer protection authorities."

Beyond enforcement, the countries urge the European Commission to "play an active role" in reviewing existing regulations and, if necessary, strengthening the obligations placed on online platforms. Furthermore, the signatories advocate for "the introduction of a European tax on low-value parcels," a fiscal measure already being considered at national levels, particularly by France.

In a related development in mid-November, EU finance ministers approved the abolition of the customs duty exemption on small imported parcels, a change that could potentially take effect as early as the first quarter of 2026.