Consumer-imports via online platforms pose challenges for product safety

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Buying inexpensive products from online platforms has become widespread in the EU. However, the vast majority of these products do not meet EU requirements and may be directly harmful. This is a growing problem that requires clear coordination across different policy areas, according to a new analysis by the National Board of Trade Sweden.

“Millions of products are imported directly by consumers on a daily basis, weakening the checks that EU rules rely on. As a result, non-compliant products can enter the EU market more easily, exposing consumers to greater risks. At the same time, businesses that follow the rules face competition from sellers who do not bear the same compliance costs,” says Trade Policy Adviser Shasa Aziz Baker, one of the authors of the analysis.

Read the full interview and download the report
Consumer-Imports via Online Platforms: Consequences for trade and the internal market