EU Member States want customs to curb dangerous consumer products

Today, Member States reached a deal on the EU Customs reform, which aims to address the surge in non-compliant, dangerous, and low-quality products entering the EU Single Market. BEUC welcomes Member States’ wish to strengthen customs controls and to require importers, including online marketplaces, to ensure products meet EU rules.

Moving forward, the European legislator must ensure that there are consequences for those who ignore the obligation to comply with EU rules. This is something that the Danish Presidency could clarify.

BEUC Director General Agustín Reyna commented:

"Every week, consumer groups collect data showing the unacceptable flow of unsafe and incompliant products coming from third countries into the EU. This must stop. Today’s deal is an encouraging step towards better consumer protection.

“It was about time customs authorities were better equipped to cope with the whopping 12 million parcels arriving at the EU borders every single day. It is also good news that importers, rather than consumers, should cover handling fees to help customs authorities manage the flood of online purchases. However, consumers should not be the ones paying for traders to make their products comply with EU rules. So, these costs should not be passed onto consumers, and it is crucial that the European Commission monitors the impact on prices.

“We now count on the European Parliament and Council to swiftly finalise the reform and make it a reality for consumers. To complete the picture, someone must be held liable when a product is harming consumers or breaches EU safety or sustainability rules. To do so, the EU also needs to hold online platforms liable in its laws for the faulty products they sell."

More information:
BEUC factsheet: e-commerce: new challenges for the sustainable transition