Germany, Austria, Poland, Denmark, the Netherlands, and France call for a unified approach to enforcing EU standards in e-commerce.

 

Six European countries – Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland – have jointly urged the European Commission to strengthen enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA) against Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) like Temu and Shein.

In a letter seen by Euronews ahead of a competitiveness ministers meeting in Brussels today (26 September), the countries called for “all necessary measures” to enforce the DSA. They highlighted the recent designation of Temu and Shein as VLOPs as a “significant step”, but stressed the need to “rigorously enforce the DSA” against these and other major online platforms.

 

The letter noted that the DSA, which came into effect in February 2024, introduced transparency rules and obligations regarding illegal products. It called on the Commission to work with national authorities to collect data on DSA violations and impose effective sanctions. The countries also advocated for further enforcement measures, such as digitizing product specifications to automatically detect issues.

Additionally, the letter pushed for enhanced market surveillance capabilities in EU member states, including stronger intervention powers for authorities to act against e-commerce platforms. It also called for priority discussions on VAT and customs duty exemptions related to e-commerce.

Lastly, the countries urged the Commission to investigate the data collection and usage practices of e-commerce platforms, in the interest of consumer and child protection.

The competitiveness ministers meeting today is set to discuss these e-commerce enforcement and oversight priorities, as well as broader competitiveness challenges facing the EU’s single market.