Temu under attack from the EU: cheap goods, expensive fines

European Commission fined Temu on 200 million eurosaccusing the platform of lax controls over dangerous and illegal goods.

European Commission fined Chinese e-commerce platform Temu on 200 million eurosaccusing the company of violating Digital Services Regulation (DSA) and insufficient controls on the sale of dangerous and illegal goods to European consumers.

The case becomes one of the most notable clashes Brussels with ultra-cheap online shopping platforms. For European Commission this is also a test of whether it will remain DSA a real tool for consumer protection, or it will turn into another beautiful European document that looks good in presentations but works poorly in real life.

According to the decision European Commission, Temu did not fulfill the duty seriously assess the risks associated with goods sold through its platform. Brussels believes that European users of the service were highly likely to encounter illegal or dangerous products.

According to the regulator, the company tried to cover its obligations with general reports and theoretical descriptions of risks in e-commerce in general, but did not provide a full picture of what was happening on its own platform. Product promotion mechanisms, algorithmic recommendations and cooperation with influencerswhich, according to the commission, could not limit, but increase the spread of problematic products.

Dangerous chargers, toys and chemicals

The results of test purchases carried out for European Commission an independent organization. According to the audit, a significant number of chargers did not meet basic safety requirements, and some children’s toys contained chemicals above permissible limits.

In addition, some products presented a choking hazard due to small parts that came loose. That is, the usual Internet magic “I bought it for almost free” once again it turned out to be not quite magic, but rather a lottery with fire safety, toxicology and pediatrics.

European Commission thus sending a signal to all major digital platforms: if a company controls access to the European market, it cannot pretend that it is simply a neutral showcase. The platform is required to monitor risks, remove illegal goods after detection, and prove in advance that it has taken real preventive measures.

Temu was given until the end of August

Now Temu must submit a compliance plan by the end of August. If European Commission determines that violations continue, the company may face new sanctions and additional financial measures.

The investigation against the platform officially began in October 2024. The current decision is based in particular on risk assessments submitted by the Temudata from customs and supervisory authorities EUas well as independent product testing.

Executive Vice Chairman European Commission Henna Virkkunen stated that risk assessment is not a formal bureaucratic procedure, but forms the basis DSA. According to her, Temu downplayed the severity of the threats and did not provide a complete picture of the possible consequences for consumers.

The Chinese company itself gained a huge audience in Europe in a short time thanks to extremely low prices, aggressive advertising and algorithmic promotion of goods. It is this model that has become the focus of regulatory attention: when millions of consumers buy goods through one digital platform, the issue of security can no longer be reduced to a phrase “The buyer is to blame”.

The size of the fine, as European officials explain, was calculated taking into account the severity of the violation, its duration and the number of users in EUwho may have been harmed or at risk. For Temu This is not just a financial blow, but a warning: the era of unpunished import of everything into Europe under the guise of a cheap marketplace is coming to an end. At least, Brussels really wants it to look that way.

Context: The EU is already preparing a strike on cheap parcels

Fine Temu fits into a broader course EU to tighten control over cheap online purchases from third countries. As previously written “Athens News”With July 1, 2026 In the European Union, new rules for small parcels worth up to 150 euros: the minimum duty will be 3 euros for each product categoryand not just for the entire parcel.

This measure will affect buyers of platforms like Temu And Shein. If one order contains different types of goods, the fee amount may increase: for example, several categories within one parcel will be calculated separately. More about this “Athens News” wrote in the material “The EU introduces a duty of 3 euros for each product from China: what will change from July 1”.

Thus, the current penalty for violation DSA – not a separate episode, but part of a general line Brussels. Formally We are talking about consumer protection, dangerous goods, undervalued parcels and customs control. But the economic meaning is also obvious: The EU is trying to curb a model in which Chinese platforms are bypassing traditional European retail and offering prices that local businesses find increasingly difficult to compete with.

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