EU fines AliExpress €550 million for illegal product sales

The European Commission has imposed a €550 million fine on AliExpress for failing to adequately combat the sale of illegal, unsafe, and counterfeit products on its platform, marking the largest penalty under the Digital Services Act (DSA) to date. Source: lavozar, elpaises

Key deficiencies

• Insufficient human moderators: Moderators had only 10–20 seconds per product review, and the company overestimated the effectiveness of its automated detection systems. Source: lavanguardia, mileniomx
• Advertising amplifies risks: The platform's recommendation algorithms actively promoted illegal or dangerous items, as confirmed by Commission tests. Source: clarin, elmundoes
• Products persist for weeks: Even after being flagged, items like counterfeit clothing, unsafe toys, and hazardous cosmetics remained on sale for weeks. Source: elconfidencial, infobae
• Weak seller sanctions: Penalized merchants could continue operating, and sellers easily evaded controls by miscategorizing products. Source: euronewses, diariolibree

Next steps

AliExpress has until October 20, 2026 to submit a corrective action plan. If the plan is deemed insufficient or non-compliance continues, the company may face additional coercive fines. Source: elespanol, elmundoes The fine reflects mitigating factors, including the novelty of the DSA, but remains below the 6% of global turnover maximum. Source: elconfidencial