Describing the flood of unsafe products into the EU as a “tsunami”, Green MEP Saskia Bricmont said further action was needed to protect consumers and prevent counterfeiting. She added that it was important for the EU to propose “alternative and affordable consumption models” based on the use of local and second-hand products and a circular economy.
[…]
“Non-EU platforms have avoided paying any environmental fees and have undermined efforts to move towards a circular economy,” [Maria Guzenina (S&D)] said.
[…]
MEP Leila Chaibi (The Left) also wants the Commission to strengthen rules on digital fairness.
According to her, Amazon, Temu and Shein should be “banned from the EU” as long as they fail to comply with EU laws on conformity standards, as well as social and environmental norms.
[…]
The Commission unveiled its e-commerce strategy in February, which focuses on better cooperation between the EU and national authorities. On the same day, it announced new actions against Shein under its consumer protection rules and emphasised that e-commerce companies such as Amazon, Temu and Shein face ongoing investigations under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
However, the Commission said it would wait a year before evaluating its e-commerce strategy.
It’s disappointing and very stupid that so many people just love buying toxic crap they don’t need, produced by people who are effectively slaves.
That said, the left loves to pretend we are headed towards a “circular economy” and that stuff like Temu is holding that back. While this is a beautiful thought, the notion that people who are OK with Temu will embrace an alternative model of repairs and small second-hand family-owned local shops is just a fantasy.
Yeah. The trend of making “haul” videos leaves me crestfallen every time I see one.
I am aware that Amazon and other e-commerce giants have produced damages to our economies and that those huge profits do not drip down to the local communities but I do not agree that now we should hope for them to just disappear.
E-commerce won’t go away cause it is part of the technological progress and no one will stop using them on moral or ethical basis. They are here to stay and the sooner we accept it the sooner we can understand that these realities have to be at least reformed or forced to comply to regulations.
Hoping for people and economies to just radically change is in my opinion just delusional.
Asked Le Mistral on some ideas and I think they could be a starting point for a more productive discussion on this topic. Amazon and other big e-commerce corporations hinder progress on circular economy and on sustainable local commerce. How could these realities be reformed so to better help with these issues?
My friend, maybe you didn’t read the article well. Enforcing regulatioand collecting the due taxes are exactly what they are proposing
EU has forced abusive international companies to change plenty of times. I see no reason why this would be any different.
I think part of the problem is that people believe they are being overcharged for stuff and that they are simply getting the “real “ or “fair “ price from these other sellers.
