On June 18, the European Commission accused the electronic platform AliExpress of violating the rules on the distribution of illegal goods. About this it is said in the preliminary conclusions of the European Commission, Politico reports.
The document states that the company did not properly comply with the requirements of the Digital Services Act in terms of responding to the distribution of prohibited goods. Despite this, the European Commission recognized the progress of AliExpress in fulfilling other obligations, in particular in the direction of transparency of advertising and recommendation algorithms.
The law requires major online platforms such as AliExpress to identify risks associated with illegal content and goods and take steps to minimize them. The European Commission said that the company did not take these risks into account properly, and that its moderation mechanisms have systemic flaws. It is also emphasized that AliExpress does not enforce its own policies regarding sellers who distribute illegal products.
Separately, the European Commission approved changes that the company made to improve the transparency of advertising systems, increase the traceability of merchants and access to public data for researchers. A representative of the commission clarified that these updates cover most of the critical points identified during the investigation, which has been ongoing since March 2024.
In response to the findings, AliExpress agreed to implement a new system of internal controls and submit reports to an independent oversight body. The commitments made by the company became mandatory, which means the possibility of imposing sanctions in case of further violations.
Among the specific steps the platform has agreed to take are combating hidden links to fake products, verifying the activities of influencers, and monitoring the sale of nutritional supplements and medical products.
