EFIC has co-signed a joint statement together with 87 industry and civil society organisations calling on the European Union to address the growing challenge of non-compliant products entering the Single Market through e-commerce channels. The statement highlights the rapid increase in direct imports from third countries, with billions of low-value parcels entering the EU each year, many of which fail to comply with EU requirements on product safety, sustainability, ecodesign, energy labelling, intellectual property rights, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
The coalition underlines the need to close the current accountability gap by ensuring that every product placed on the EU market has a clearly identified economic operator established within the EU/EEA responsible for compliance. It calls for stronger obligations for online platforms facilitating sales from non-EU sellers, including making platforms responsible economic operators where no other liable actor can be identified.
The statement urges the European Commission to address these shortcomings in the forthcoming European Product Act and the revision of the Market Surveillance Regulation and New Legislative Framework, ensuring fair competition for compliant businesses and effective protection for European consumers and the environment.