EU hits AliExpress with record $629 million fine over safety failures

EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen emphasized that the proliferation of counterfeit apparel and harmful products is not an acceptable side effect of e-commerce, but a direct breach of corporate responsibility. According to the Commission, AliExpress left dangerous items on its storefront for weeks after their risks were identified, failing to implement the systematic safeguards required by the bloc’s updated digital regulations.

This ruling eclipses the $230 million penalty issued to rival retailer Temu earlier this year, signaling a more aggressive stance from Brussels toward cross-border marketplaces. AliExpress faces a hard deadline of October 20, 2026, to overhaul its compliance protocols and demonstrate effective risk mitigation. Failure to meet these requirements will trigger additional periodic fines, further straining the platform's ability to operate within the European market.