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The European Fee has warned of a steep rise in unsafe merchandise detected within the EU coming largely from China, because the bloc tries to stem the surge in low cost e-commerce imports.
The fee on Wednesday stated it obtained greater than 4,000 alerts for harmful merchandise final 12 months — the best quantity for the reason that EU-wide system was arrange in 2003.
Cosmetics accounted for 36 per cent of harmful merchandise, the commission stated. Probably the most frequent threat issue was harmful chemical substances, reminiscent of an artificial substance known as BMHCA, which has been banned within the EU for harming the reproductive system.
Some 40 per cent of the unsafe merchandise flagged final 12 months had been imported from China, the fee stated.
The Chinese language chamber of commerce in Brussels didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
The report comes because the bloc tries to crack down on a steep improve in merchandise bought on platforms like Temu, Shein and Amazon Market. European prospects obtained greater than 4bn lower-value packages final 12 months, about 90 per cent of that are being delivered instantly from China, and that are not often inspected as a result of they’re responsibility free.
In February, the fee proposed to make e-commerce corporations accountable for promoting harmful or unlawful merchandise on their platforms to the EU, and in addition to abolish the present customs responsibility exemption for items price lower than €150. It additionally desires to arrange an EU customs authority.
Michael McGrath, the EU commissioner liable for client safety, stated that the alert system “allows us to swiftly handle the dangers posed by harmful items throughout the EU”.
Along with cosmetics, harmful chemical substances have been detected in vape liquid, garments, jewelry and toys, in keeping with the report. Alerts had additionally been issued for some electrical home equipment and motor automobiles.
Italy was the nation with the best variety of harmful product alerts, and in addition the third most vital nation of origin for the merchandise, accounting for 16 per cent of them.
Some 24 per cent of warnings have been for merchandise coming from different nations contained in the European financial space, which incorporates the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
