Renew Europe welcomes the European Parliament’s adoption of a resolution condemning the availability of child-like sex dolls, weapons and other illegal or unsafe products on certain online marketplaces, and urges the European Commission to act swiftly to enforce EU rules and protect consumers, especially minors, across the Single Market.
The resolution follows the major controversy that erupted in France in late October after child-like sex dolls and other illicit items were found for sale on Shein and other non-EU platforms. Despite claims that listings had been removed, evidence showed that similar products remained accessible in other Member States, including via VPN access. The French authorities have since launched investigations into Shein, Temu, AliExpress and Wish.
Beyond the specific case, Parliament warns that the circulation of unsafe, illegal and non-compliant products via e-commerce has reached systemic levels. A growing share of small parcels entering the EU from non-EU countries, particularly China, escape meaningful checks, posing serious risks to consumers while distorting competition for European businesses that comply with safety rules. With Black Friday and the Christmas shopping season approaching, the risks are set to rise sharply as millions of parcels flood into the EU in a short period.
Stéphanie Yon-Courtin MEP, responsible for the resolution for Renew Europe, said:
“The open sale of child-like sex dolls, weapons and other dangerous products is not a glitch: it’s a structural failure. Platforms that profit from the EU market must play by our rules and when they don’t, Europe must act with speed and force. The safety of our children and consumers cannot depend on voluntary promises. The European Commission must deploy its full enforcement arsenal, from interim measures to suspensions and sanctions, to put an end to these practices!”
Stéphanie Yon-CourtinRenew Europe MEP, France, Renaissance
Svenja Hahn MEP, Renew Europe's coordinator in the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, added:
“We cannot accept that our Single Market is flooded by dangerous and illegal products from China and other third countries. We owe it to European consumers and businesses to stop these products before they are even sold. The EU Commission and Member States must rigorously enforce existing laws, such as the DSA and the new product safety rules.”
Svenja HahnRenew Europe MEP, Germany, Freie Demokratische Partei
The resolution highlights chronic enforcement shortcomings, including the under-resourcing of customs and market surveillance authorities, fragmented digital capacity, slow investigative procedures and limited legal accountability for non-EU traders. It calls for a shift from reactive to preventive enforcement, supported by stronger operational tools and faster EU-level action.
Among its key demands, Parliament calls for:
• full and rigorous enforcement of the Digital Services Act, including rapid removal of illegal products and activation of interim measures for repeated or systemic breaches;
• more effective sanctions, including temporary suspensions of non-compliant marketplaces when necessary;
• stronger customs controls, with upgraded risk-analysis tools, digitalised import procedures and support through the EU Customs Data Hub;
• clear attribution of responsibility for non-EU sellers, including an EU-based responsible person and verifiable contact points for consumer redress;
• expanded mystery shopping, sweeps and coordinated inspections to ensure that dangerous products are detected before they reach consumers;
• a rapid revision of the Market Surveillance Regulation and the Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation to strengthen EU-wide enforcement in cross-border cases.
Stéphanie Yon-Courtin added:
“Online shopping is now part of Europeans’ everyday lives. But safety can never be optional. The EU must ensure that every product sold online, no matter where it comes from, meets our standards. Today’s vote sends a clear signal: Europe will not tolerate platforms that endanger our citizens or undermine fair competition.”