The European Commission is preparing a major overhaul of product import rules that would place greater responsibility on online marketplaces and introduce new charges on goods entering Europe, as Brussels intensifies its response to the huge volume of low-cost products arriving from China.

The proposed legislation, known as the European Product Act, is expected to be formally presented on 6th October and is designed to close loopholes that allow unsafe or non-compliant products sold online to reach European consumers. According to a draft obtained by Euronews, the reforms would introduce greater liability for online marketplaces, strengthen EU-level enforcement and create a new market surveillance fee on imported goods.

While the draft does not specifically target China, it comes amid mounting concern in Brussels over the enormous growth of e-commerce imports from Chinese platforms and the safety of some products entering the European market.

The issue has become increasingly significant as Europeans turn to online marketplaces for everything from cosmetics and electronics to toys and clothing. In 2025, almost six billion low-value items were shipped directly into the EU from third countries, while more than 90% of e-commerce parcels entering the bloc originated in China.

Why this matters for Monaco

Although Monaco is not an EU member state, it is treated as part of France for EU customs and VAT purposes, meaning EU customs rules apply in the Principality. This makes the continuing overhaul of European import controls directly relevant to consumers ordering goods into Monaco.

The latest proposal would require an economic operator established in the EU to be legally responsible when an imported product fails to comply with European standards. Where a manufacturer is outside the EU, responsibility would have to fall to an importer or an authorised representative.

Online marketplaces would also be required to verify that products carry either a Digital Product Passport, containing key information about their identity and compliance, or another responsibility record identifying the manufacturer.

Platforms notified about an illegal or non-compliant product would have to remove it and prevent it from reappearing. In certain circumstances, marketplaces that fail to meet those obligations could themselves become legally responsible for the product.

Safety concerns behind the crackdown

The scale of non-compliance identified by European authorities is significant. During coordinated checks carried out across the EU in 2025, authorities examined products including cosmetics, toys, small electronics, food supplements and personal protective equipment bought online from sellers outside the bloc.

Among the cosmetics inspected, 65% failed to comply with EU product standards, with Chinese products accounting for 63% of those found to be non-compliant. Some 60% of personal protective equipment inspected also failed compliance requirements, with 91% of those non-compliant products originating in China.

Brussels has already stepped up enforcement against major online platforms. In May, the Commission fined Chinese e-commerce giant Temu €200 million over shortcomings linked to products including dangerous baby toys and faulty chargers, according to Euronews. Shein is also under investigation over the sale of illegal products.

New fee on imported goods

Under the European Product Act proposal, importers would also face a new EU market surveillance fee, designed to help finance the cost of checking imported products. The charge would be linked to the estimated cost of carrying out market surveillance, with goods imported in bulk expected to attract a lower fee than individual parcels sent directly to consumers.

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