EU asks Alibaba’s AliExpress for details on measures against illegal products

Foo Yoon Chee

7th Nov 2023

The European Commission on Monday ordered Alibaba’s AliExpress to provide information on how it tackles illegal products, such as counterfeit goods, sold on its platform by November 27 or face an investigation that could result in fines.

The EU executive said it had sent a request for information to AliExpress in line with newly adopted EU rules called the Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires Big Tech to do more to counter illegal and harmful content on their platforms.

The Commission said it wants to know what measures AliExpress has taken to comply with DSA rules against the dissemination and sale of illegal products online, such as fake medicines.

It said AliExpress must provide the requested information by November 27 after which the Commission will assess its next steps.

“It (DSA) is also there to ensure removal of illegal or unsafe products sold in the EU via e-commerce platforms, including the growing number of fake and potentially life-threatening medicines and pharmaceuticals sold online,” EU industry chief Thierry Breton said in a statement.

Breton has in recent weeks sent similar requests for information to Elon Musk’s X platform, Meta Platforms and TikTok, asking what they are doing to fight the spread of disinformation.

• Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Sharon Singleton, of Reuters.