BRUSSELS, July 20 – The European Union has imposed a €629 million ($685 million) fine on AliExpress over the sale of illegal and counterfeit products, marking one of the largest penalties ever issued against an online marketplace in the bloc.
The санкtion was handed down by the European Commission following an investigation that found the platform failed to adequately prevent the distribution of fake and illegal goods to consumers across the EU.
Officials said the case underscores growing regulatory pressure on major e-commerce platforms to take responsibility for the safety and authenticity of products sold through their services. Under EU digital and consumer protection laws, marketplaces are required to actively monitor listings and remove unlawful content.
According to regulators, AliExpress did not implement sufficient safeguards to detect and eliminate counterfeit items, exposing consumers to potentially unsafe or misleading products. The fine reflects both the scale of the violations and the company’s global reach within European markets.
The European Commission emphasized that online platforms must go beyond reactive measures, calling for stronger proactive systems such as automated detection tools, stricter seller verification processes, and faster response times to complaints.
AliExpress, owned by Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group, said it is reviewing the decision and may challenge the penalty. The company added that it has invested in compliance systems and remains committed to improving product safety and regulatory alignment.
The move signals a broader shift in the EU’s digital enforcement strategy, as authorities increasingly target large tech platforms under stricter rules designed to protect consumers and ensure fair competition.
Industry analysts say the penalty could have ripple effects across the e-commerce sector, prompting other platforms to strengthen compliance frameworks to avoid similar enforcement actions.
As regulators tighten oversight, the case highlights a central tension in global e-commerce: balancing open marketplaces with the need to safeguard consumers from fraud, counterfeiting, and unsafe goods.