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EU Industry Coalition Calls for Immediate Action on E-Commerce Imports
Brussels, 11 March 2026 – A coalition of European industry and retail organisations is calling on the European Union to close regulatory gaps in e-commerce imports. These gaps undermine fair competition, consumer safety and the Single Market.
The organisations warn that the planned “deemed importer” system under the Union Customs Code will only apply in 2028. This timeline is too slow to address the current surge of non-compliant imports.
The coalition urges the EU to require foreign sellers to appoint a legally responsible representative in the EU for products sold online.
Rapid growth of e-commerce imports
Cross-border e-commerce has grown rapidly in recent years. This growth has created major challenges for customs authorities.
In 2025 alone, 5.8 billion parcels entered the EU market. Many of these shipments do not comply with EU rules. These rules include product safety, VAT obligations, intellectual property rights and environmental requirements.
Non-compliant sellers gain an unfair advantage. European companies must respect strict EU rules. Foreign operators often avoid these obligations.
Risk for consumers and EU businesses
The coalition warns that the current situation harms both consumers and businesses.
Unsafe products, misleading claims and VAT fraud appear more frequently in small consignments. These practices weaken European companies that follow EU standards.
They also threaten jobs and damage Europe’s industrial value chains. In addition, the trend accelerates the decline of physical retail in many town centres.
A solution available today
Industry groups welcome the EU plan to introduce the “deemed importer” concept under the new Union Customs Code. However, they stress that the measure will arrive too late if applied only in 2028.
The coalition proposes a simple solu
