EU lawmakers have asked the Commission to open probes into ecommerce platforms Shein, AliExpress, and Temu under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) after French authorities opened investigations into the three platforms – and a fourth, Wish – over the sale of “child-like sex dolls”.
In a letter on Tuesday, addressed to the Commission and seen by Euractiv, lawmakers have drafted written questions about the sex doll scandal – warning that “given the gravity and urgency of the situation, the Commission must ensure that no such products can ever be purchased again”.
French prosecutors opened investigations on the four platforms on Monday evening after concerns were raised by the national consumer watchdog.
The MEPs’ letter, which has been prepared by French liberal lawmaker Stéphanie Yon-Courtin, is signed by more than 40 lawmakers from various political groups, her office told Euractiv.
“Selling child-like sex dolls means making child abuse available online,” Yon-Courtin told Euractiv. “It’s a disgrace,” she said and added that they should “immediately disappear” from European markets.
MEPs have asked whether the Commission intends to launch formal DSA investigations into the sale of “material of a pedopornographic nature”. They have also asked how the Commission will ensure that the DSA prevents the listing or sale of such products in the EU.
In addition, MEPs ask whether the Commission has powers under the DSA to request an EU-wide suspension of the commerce platforms. This follows a warning from the French Economic Minister on Monday who said that France will consider banning Shein in the event of repeated violations.
“We are calling on the European Commission to make full use of its powers under the Digital Services Act,” added Yon-Courtin.
In remarks responding to France opening criminal investigations of the platforms on Tuesday, the Commission told Euractiv that it’s speaking with “all relevant stakeholders and competent national authorities, including the French authorities”.
“These findings are concerning, and we are closely following these developments,” it said, adding: “Under the DSA, very large online platforms are subject to several due diligence obligations, including the obligation to assess and mitigate systemic risks.”
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