On 9 July 2025, the European Parliament (EP) adopted a resolution to address the sharp rise in substandard and potentially dangerous goods entering the EU from non-EU webshops. The EP noted that e-commerce, while creating unprecedented opportunities, also poses significant risks to consumer safety, public health, the environment, working conditions, and the vitality of local retail.

The resolution highlighted that 4.6 billion e-commerce items under the €150 customs exemption entered the EU in 2024, with 91% originating from China. This represents about 12 million parcels per day—nearly twice as many as in 2023, and three times as many as in 2022—placing severe pressure on customs and market surveillance authorities. Investigations revealed alarming non-compliance rates, particularly in fast fashion and ultra-fast fashion products, where speed and cost were prioritised over safety, quality, and sustainability.

MEPs called on Member States to increase funding and resources for customs, market surveillance, consumer protection, and digital services authorities, and to strengthen their coordination. They urged the Commission to promote cooperation, data exchange, and the use of advanced tools such as risk profiling, mystery shopping, and trusted flaggers under the Digital Services Act (DSA). They also welcomed the Commission’s plan to coordinate customs and surveillance controls in priority areas and stressed the need to expand EU funding for customs and market enforcement operations.

The resolution underlined the need for stronger customs controls, improved risk analysis, and greater digitalisation of import procedures. It revealed that many non-EU traders circumvent checks by clearing goods at the point of origin or by fraudulently mislabelling shipments, often preferring to pay penalties rather than face scrutiny. Reforms to the Union Customs Code to tackle such practices are urgently needed. The role of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in investigating cross-border customs fraud, including large-scale undervaluation of products, is also emphasised.

Lastly, the EP urged the Commission to strengthen enforcement of the DSA obligations for online marketplaces, to provide authorities with enhanced e-surveillance tools to track dangerous products, and to assess new models, such as bulk shipping and EU-based warehouses to improve oversight. It stressed that such measures must balance compliance needs with the realities of diverse e-commerce business models.

The EP's resolution will be fed into the discussion on the major reform of the Customs Union. Negotiations between the EP and the Council started on 8 July 2025. The European Commission tabled the respective legislative proposal in May 2023 (→eucrim 2/2023, 158-159).