EU fines AliExpress €550 million over illegal products under Digital Services Act

On Monday, AliExpress was fined €550 million (US$630 million) by the European Union for permitting the sale of illegal items, such as hazardous toys and cosmetics. This penalty marks the highest ever imposed under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which was implemented in 2022 to oversee major tech companies. An investigation by the EU, initiated in March 2024, revealed that certain products available on the site failed to comply with the EU's rigorous safety and environmental regulations. Henna Virkkunen, the EU's tech chief, emphasized the necessity of systematically identifying and mitigating risks to ensure safe online shopping, asserting that AliExpress must adhere to these standards. This fine highlights the EU's dedication to enforcing digital laws and safeguarding consumers from dangerous products.