The European Commission has imposed a record €550 million fine on Chinese e-commerce platform AliExpress for failing to prevent the sale of illegal and dangerous products to consumers across the European Union.
The penalty, announced on Monday, is the largest ever issued under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires major online platforms to identify and mitigate risks related to illegal content and unsafe goods.
European Commission Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen said investigators found widespread violations on the platform.
“There were many counterfeit products, unsafe toys and dangerous cosmetics that remained online for a very long time,” Virkkunen said, adding that some products continued to be recommended and advertised even after authorities had determined they failed to meet EU safety standards.
According to the Commission, AliExpress failed to properly assess and manage the risks associated with illegal products sold through its marketplace. Investigators concluded that the company did not allocate sufficient staff to review suspicious listings, leaving moderators with only seconds to evaluate potentially illegal products.
The Commission also found that AliExpress failed to adequately assess how its recommendation and advertising systems contributed to the spread of illegal goods and relied on compliance mechanisms that could easily be bypassed through incorrect product categorization.
The investigation into AliExpress began in March 2024 and examined several suspected violations of the Digital Services Act. While the company addressed some concerns through commitments agreed with the Commission in June 2025, regulators concluded that significant breaches remained.
The €550 million penalty is the third fine issued under the Digital Services Act and follows a €200 million fine imposed on Chinese online marketplace Temu earlier this year over similar violations involving illegal products.
AliExpress has until October 20 to submit an action plan outlining how it will comply with the Commission’s findings. Failure to implement adequate corrective measures could result in additional sanctions.
AliExpress, owned by Chinese technology giant Alibaba, had not publicly commented on the Commission’s decision at the time of publication.
