Joint Industry Statement calling on a level playing field for online marketplaces and effective enforcement

APPLiA joined forces with 58 European industry associations and NGOs in a united call for a level playing field for online marketplaces and effective enforcement.

Online marketplaces represent a convenient way to a broader product and seller choice and payment mechanisms. However, there is an ever-increasing number of non-compliant products available on the EU market through online marketplaces. The non-compliance spans various policy areas, including product safety, sustainability, intellectual property rights (IPR), or participation in extended producer responsibility schemes (EPR schemes).

NGOs and European industries are once again joining forces to urge EU policymakers to prioritise closing legal loopholes in the regulation and enforcement of online trade via online marketplaces during the 2024-2029 mandate. 

Insufficient responsibilities for online marketplaces and ineffective enforcement of existing EU requirements inevitably harm the environment andn the consumers, the functioning of the internal market, and ultimately the competitiveness of European businesses.

EU legislation should ensure that all operators in the EU Internal Market comply with EU standards, fostering a fair and competitive European market, preventing unfair practices, and enhancing enforcement by both Member States and European authorities.

To address these issues, we recommend:

• A legal requirement that there is always an economic operator in the EU that is responsible for the compliance of products (incl. the packaging) that are sold into the EU: For all channels of online sales, there should be a European Union (EU)- or European Economic Area (EEA)- based economic operator responsible for the compliance of products sold in the EU under the scope of the relevant legislation for that product
• Recognition of online marketplaces as economic operators, and recognition that the online marketplaces are considered to be placing the products on the market if there is no other economic operator in the EU that can be considered to have placed the product on the EU market
• Enhanced Obligations for online marketplaces
• Improved Product Traceability
• Equip Customs Authorities with better rules to stop illegal imports through small packages