Importers race to beat the deadline for looming EU ecommerce fee
The EU’s planned introduction of a €3 fee for low-value ecommerce shipments from 1 July ...
© Timon Schneider
By Stuart Todd
The French government has stepped up pressure on Chinese fast-fashion and lifestyle online retailer Shein for selling non-compliant and illegal products.
While Shein, which this week opened its first bricks and mortar store in Paris, has been in the crosshairs of the French for some time, the recent discovery for sale on its website of children’s dolls for pornographic purposes triggered punitive action.
After announcing suspension proceedings against shein.fr on Wednesday, the government yesterday launched a major operation to inspect parcels from Shein arriving at Paris Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle Airport, a move that has created a significant backlog of goods.
“Today, 100% of all parcels that have arrived in the last 24 hours are being blocked,” commented finance minister Amélie de Montchalin.
“That’s 200,000 parcels that will be opened by customs officers and the DGCCRF [Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control].”
The operation aims to ensure the accuracy of declarations and compliance with tax and customs obligations.
“Initial findings reveal non-compliant and illegal products [like] unauthorised cosmetics, dangerous toys for children, counterfeit goods and faulty electrical appliances,” the minister said, going on to warn: “We will not stop the checks until the standards are met.”
According to French media, Shein’s executive chairman, Donald Tang, responded to the French authorities underlining “unwavering commitment to complying with all French laws”, and proposed a meeting to present the “compliance framework” and the “firm and immediate measures” taken.
Mr Tang added: “By temporarily suspending sales by third-party sellers as well as sales of Shein products not related to the clothing sector, we intend to create the conditions necessary to work closely with you and the relevant authorities, ensuring that the corrective measures we put in place are both robust and transparent.”
However, Shein’s troubles may not be only limited to France. Yesterday, the government urged the EC to “crack down” on Shein by imposing sanctions on the company.
In a letter to Brussels, French ministers asked the EC vice-president responsible for technological sovereignty, Henna Virkkunen, to take action against Shein.
“France calls on the European Commission to fully exercise its powers, including the issuance of provisional measures against the platform and to conduct investigations without delay to shed light on the malfunctions that led to the sale of illegal items on this platform,” the letter read.
Responding to French concerns, a commission spokesperson said: “A platform that allows the sale of pornographic content or weapons on its service does not comply with EU standards, EU values and EU laws.”
The spokesperson warned that the Commission could take steps on the matter, but did not elaborate.
The buoyant cross-border ecommerce traffic flows between China and Europe have increased considerably since the Trump administration removed the customs duty exemption – gaining more than was lost by the US.
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