The The European Commission has asked AliExpress for clarification Subsidiary of Alibaba Group. Brussels is calling on AliExpress to provide more information on the measures it has taken to comply with its obligations related to risk assessment and risk mitigation measures to protect online consumers, including from counterfeit medicines. The company has three weeks to respond.
He Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Bretonhas explained: “The Digital Services Act is not limited to topics such as hate speech, disinformation or cyberbullying. It also aims to ensure the elimination of illegal or unsafe products sold in the EU via e-commerce platforms, including the growing number of counterfeit and potentially dangerous medicines and medicines sold online».
AliExpress must provide the Commission with the information by November 27, 2023. After evaluating AliExpress’s responses, the Commission will consider next steps, which could include: Formalization of a procedure under Article 66 of the Digital Services Law.
According to Article 74 paragraph 2 of Digital Services ActThe Commission may impose fines for incorrect, incomplete or misleading information provided in a request for information. If AliExpress does not respond, the Commission may decide Imposition of regular fines which can represent 1% of the company’s global sales.
AliExpress was selected as one of the 19 platforms (others include Amazon, TikTok, Meta or Google) as “large market players» who must comply with the Digital Services Act, the aim of which is to make the online world safer and more responsible. All selected platforms are obliged to fully comply with all the provisions set out therein LSD. This involves assessing and mitigating the risks associated with the distribution of illegal and harmful content as well as any adverse effects on the exercise of fundamental rights.
The Asian market wasn’t the only one to receive notice from recently European Commission. In October, other platforms such as X, Meta and TikTok received a request to control fake news that could be spread on their platforms due to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
