Commission fines Temu pound 200 million for breaching the Digital Services Act
Today, the European Commission issued a fine of pound 200 million to Temu under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The company failed to diligently identify, analyse, and assess the systemic risks of illegal products being offered on its platform and the resulting harm to consumers in the European Union.
The evidence at the disposal of the Commission indicates that consumers in the EU are very likely to encounter illegal items on Temu.
Temu’s risk assessment of 2024 falls short of the standards laid out in the DSA:
It is based on general information about risks concerning the eCommerce sector as a whole, rather than on specific evidence about Temu’s own service, including public reports and testing.
It seriously underestimated how often EU consumers are likely to encounter illegal items. Evidence from a mystery shopping exercise included in the Commission’s investigation shows that a very high percentage of the selected chargers failed basic safety tests, while a high percentage of tested baby toys posed safety risks of medium to high severity, as they contain chemicals exceeding legal safety limits or pose suffocation hazards due to detachable parts.
It did not properly assess how the design of its service – including recommender systems and product promotion programmes by affiliated influencers – could amplify dissemination risks of illegal products.
Under the DSA, designated Very Large Online Platforms are required to diligently assess systemic risks linked to their services and adopt corresponding mitigation measures.
The fine issued today was calculated taking into account the nature of the infringement, its gravity in terms of affected EU users, and its duration. Failing to conduct proper risk assessments – one of the cornerstones of the DSA’s architecture – is a particularly serious infringement of the DSA.
Next steps
Temu has until 28 August 2026 to submit an action plan to the Commission, as required by Article 75 of the DSA. The plan must set out measures to remedy the breach of its risk-assessment obligations. The European Board for Digital Services will have one month from receipt of the plan to issue its opinion. The Commission will then have a further month to adopt its final decision and set a reasonable period for implementation.
Failure to comply with the non-compliance decision may lead to periodic penalty payments. The Commission continues to engage with Temu to ensure compliance with the decision and with the DSA more generally.
Background
On 31 October 2024 the Commission opened formal proceedings against Temu, including on its obligation to assess systemic risks relating to the dissemination of illegal products on its service. The Commission adopted preliminary findings in July 2025 and is closing them with a non-compliance decision today.
The non-compliance decision issued today is based, amongst others, on Temu’s 2024 and interim 2025 risk assessment reports, the replies to the Commission’s formal requests for information on 28 June 2024 and 11 October 2024, information shared by third parties and a mystery shopping exercise carried out by an independent testing organisation on behalf of the Commission. The investigation also relied on data from EU customs and market surveillance authorities, which revealed high rates of non-compliance among products sold on Temu in the categories tested.
Quote(s)
Risk assessments are not box-ticking exercises – they are the backbone of the DSA. Temu’s risk assessment underestimates concrete risks, lacks specificity, is not grounded in solid evidence, and is not comprehensive. It leaves regulators, users, and the public in the dark about the true scale of potential harm posed by illegal products sold on Temu. Now it is time for Temu to comply with the law.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
Commission takes action to ensure complete and timely transposition of EU directives
The European Commission is taking action against several EU Member States that have failed to notify the Commission of measures they have adopted to transpose EU Directives into their national laws. The deadline to transpose these Directives has expired recently. The Commission is sending a letter of formal notice to these Member States, giving them two months to reply and complete the transposition of the Directives. If they fail to do so, the Commission may pass to a next step and issue a reasoned opinion. The Member States in question have failed to fully transpose three EU directives. The Commission is urging them to take immediate action to bring their laws in line with EU requirements.
Commission calls on Member States to fully transpose rules to empower consumers for the green transition Today, the European Commission decided to open infringement procedures by sending letters of formal notice to 20 Member States – Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland and Sweden – for failing to communicate the complete transposition of the Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (Directive (EU) 2024/825). The Directive improves the reliability and transparency of green claims and sustainability labels. It encourages businesses to adopt more sustainable practices and prevents early obsolescence and greenwashing. It also ensures that shoppers have access to better information on a product’s durability and repairability, as well as on their legal guarantee rights. Member States had until 27 March 2026 to transpose the Directive into their national law. To date, the 20 Member States mentioned failed to communicate complete transposition to the Commission. The Commission is therefore sending letters of formal notice to the Member States concerned, which now have two months to respond and notify their complete transposition measures to the Commission. In the absence of a satisfactory response, the Commission may decide to issue a reasoned opinion.
Commission calls on Member States to fully transpose new rules updating training requirements for nurses, dental practitioners and pharmacists
Today, the European Commission decided to open infringement procedures by sending letters of formal notice to 8 EU countries for failing to notify the measures fully incorporating into national law Directive (EU) 2024/782 amending Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications. The transposition deadline was 4 March 2026. Directive (EU) 2024/782 updates the minimum training requirements for nurses responsible for general care, dental practitioners and pharmacists to reflect generally acknowledged scientific and technical progress. The updates introduce or further develop EU-level training requirements in areas such as e-health, digital technologies, immunology, regenerative medicine, dentistry, biopharmaceuticals, biotechnology, genetics and pharmacogenomics. To date, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Croatia, Cyprus, Malta, Austria and Portugal have failed to communicate to the Commission the measures fully incorporating the new rules into national law. The Commission is therefore sending letters of formal notice to these Member States, which now have two months to respond, complete their incorporation at national level and notify their measures to the Commission. In the absence of a satisfactory response, the Commission may decide to issue a reasoned opinion.
Commission calls on Member States to fully transpose new rules strengthening workers’ protection from lead and diisocyanates
Today, the European Commission decided to open infringement procedures by sending letters of formal notice to 10 EU countries for failing to notify their measures fully transposing Directive (EU) 2024/869 into national law. The transposition deadline was 9 April 2026. This Directive amends Directive 2004/37/EC on the protection of workers from carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxic substances at work, and Directive 98/24/EC on the protection of workers from chemical agents at work, by introducing significantly lower occupational and biological limit values for lead and its inorganic compounds. It also establishes for the first time binding occupational exposure limit values for diisocyanates. Lead is a dangerous reprotoxic substance, classified as a non-threshold reprotoxic substance for which no safe level of exposure can be scientifically established. Diisocyanates are skin and respiratory sensitisers associated with occupational asthma and other serious health effects. Until now, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia have failed to communicate to the Commission the respective measures fully incorporating the new rules into national law. The Commission is therefore sending letters of formal notice to these Member States, which now have two months to respond, complete their incorporation at national level and notify their measures to the Commission. In the absence of a satisfactory response, the Commission may decide to issue a reasoned opinion.
Commission opens in-depth foreign subsidies investigation into JD.com’s proposed acquisition of CECONOMY
The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess, under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (‘FSR’), the proposed acquisition by JD.com, Inc. (‘JD.com’) of CECONOMY AG (‘CECONOMY’). The Commission has preliminary concerns that JD.com may have been granted foreign subsidies that could distort the EU internal market.
JD.com belongs to a group operating a retail business and an online e-commerce marketplace in the People’s Republic of China (‘PRC’). CECONOMY is a German retail company operating in the brick-and-mortar and online retail businesses, specialised in the field of consumer electronics and home appliances.
The Commission’s preliminary concerns
The preliminary investigation indicates that JD.com may have received foreign subsidies distorting the EU internal market. These include preferential financing, tax incentives and grants provided by entities possibly attributable to the PRC.
In particular, the Commission preliminarily identified concerns that the potential foreign subsidies have enabled JD.com to offer conditions that potentially distorted the negotiation process related to the acquisition of CECONOMY. The Commission also has preliminary concerns that the transaction could allow the merged entity to adopt investment and business strategies that could impact competitive conditions in the EU internal market.
During its in-depth investigation, the Commission will assess in particular:
Whether the potential foreign subsidies received by JD.com distorted the outcome of the acquisition process, notably by enabling JD.com to offer a high price and to support CECONOMY’s economic activities and growth plan through JD.com’s own technological and logistics capabilities.
Whether such potential foreign subsidies may improve the competitive position of the merged entity and lead to a negative impact in the internal market, with respect to its activities after the transaction.
The transaction was notified to the Commission on 17 April 2026. The Commission now has 90 working days, until 2 October 2026, to take a decision. The opening of an in-depth investigation does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation.
Companies and products
JD.com, headquartered in the Cayman Islands, is a holding company listed on the Nasdaq and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, heading a group operating a retail business and an e-commerce marketplace in the PRC, as well as providing logistic and technological solutions.
CECONOMY, headquartered in Germany, is a retail company specialised in the field of consumer electronics and home appliances. Its main brands are MediaMarkt, MediaWorld and Saturn, which operate online and brick-and-mortar retail businesses in several Member States.
The procedure under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation
The FSR started to apply on 13 July 2023. The Regulation enables the Commission to address distortions caused by foreign subsidies, and thereby ensures a level playing field for all companies operating in the internal market while remaining open to trade and investment.
According to the FSR, companies must notify concentrations to the Commission when at least one of the merging companies, the acquired company or the joint venture is established in the EU and generates an EU turnover of at least pound 500 million, and when the parties were granted at least pound 50 million in combined aggregate foreign financial contributions from third countries in the three years prior to the concentration.
By the end of its 90-working day in-depth investigation the Commission may (i) accept commitments proposed by the company if they fully and effectively remedy the distortion, (ii) prohibit the concentration, or (iii) issue a no-objection decision.
For more information
More information will be available on the Commission’s competition website, in the Commission’s public case register under the case number FS.100253.
Commission advances pound 90 billion Ukraine Support Loan implementation, paving the way towards first disbursement in June
This week, the Commission and Ukrainian Parliament have adopted the Ukraine Support Loan (USL) Agreement setting out reforms, detailed financial terms and operational arrangements for the facility and paving the way for its swift implementation. This went in hand with the adoption of the Memorandum of the Understanding underpinning the Macro-financial Assistance Programme for 2026 by both sides, also this week. These represent important steps towards the implementation of the EUR 90 billion USL, which will provide critical budgetary assistance and help accelerate urgent defence procurement for Ukraine in 2026 and 2027.
Following the European Council’s decision in December to provide Ukraine with such loan for 2026 and 2027, the Council adopted the USL Regulation on 23 April. The Loan will ensure that Ukraine can meet its urgent budgetary and defence needs, enabling the country to remain resilient in the face of ongoing Russian attacks. It covers two thirds of Ukraine’s overall financing and defence needs for 2026 and 2027. Continued and coordinated financial and defence support from international partners therefore remains essential, including timely delivery on commitments by the G7 for 2026 and beyond.
The signature by the Commission earlier this week and today’s ratification by Ukraine of the Loan Agreement and the Memorandum of Understanding pave the way towards the first disbursements that are expected in June.
(For more information: Guillaume Mercier – Tel.: +32 2 298 05 64; Balazs Ujvari – Tel.: +32 2 295 45 78; Yuliya Matsyk – Tel: +32 2 296 27 16)
EU secures emergency deliveries of potential treatment against Hantavirus through EU-Japan cooperation
The first doses of an experimental antiviral for Hantavirus treatment are being dispatched to France, Spain and the Netherlands to treat patients or run clinical trials. While there are currently no medicines or vaccines approved for Hantavirus treatment or prevention, the European Medicine Agency has identified Favipiravir as the most plausible candidate for use under clinical trial or compassionate use protocols. Its use will be decided by the Member States concerned.
The 1,400 tablets of Favipiravir were made available to EU Member States following a donation from Fujifilm Pharmaceuticals in Japan, and thanks to a strong EU-Japan partnership on health emergency preparedness and response. The donation was facilitated by the Japanese authorities and the Delegation of the European Union to Japan.
The Commission has been in continuous exchanges with Member States since the outbreak to assure swift access to potential medical countermeasures and have facilitated this dispatch of Favipriavir at the request of France, Spain, and the Netherlands.
Commissioner Lahbib said: ‘Solidarity and rapid action save lives. Thanks to close cooperation between the EU, Member States and our Japanese partners, we were able to rapidly secure access to potentially life-saving Hantavirus treatments for European patients. This shows the value of preparedness, cooperation and trusted global partnerships’.
In parallel, the Commission is launching emergency procurement procedures to ensure availability of additional doses in case further cases are confirmed in the coming weeks, thereby strengthening EU’s preparedness.
(For more information: Eva Hrncírová – Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Quentin Cortès – Tel.: +32 2 296 47 35)
Commission seeks views on tackling territorial supply constraints
The European Commission has launched a public consultation to gather stakeholders and citizens’ views on planned action to address territorial supply constraints.
Territorial supply constraints are practices by certain large manufacturers that restrict retailers or wholesalers from purchasing goods in one Member State and reselling them in another. Such practices may limit consumer choice and contribute to significant price differences for everyday consumer goods across the EU.
Territorial supply constraints in retail and wholesale were identified as one of the ‘Terrible Ten,’ the most harmful barriers to the Single Market, in the Single Market Strategy adopted in May 2025. The Commission has committed to developing tools to address unjustified territorial supply constraints in cases falling outside the scope of competition law.
The consultation invites retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, public authorities, consumers, civil society organisations and academia to share their views and experiences via the Have your say portal. The contributions will feed into the on-going impact assessment and inform the proposed policy options. They will complement the input to the call for evidence gathered between 5 March and 24 April.
The public consultation is initially published only in English and will remain open for contributions for a period of 12 weeks. Other language versions will follow. The 12-week consultation period will restart once all EU language versions become available.
(For more information: Siobhan McGarry – Tel.: +32 2 296 47 98; Rya Perincek – Tel.: +32 2 299 49 03)
Commission seeks feedback on digital action plan for water sector
The European Commission has launched a call for evidence to support the development of an EU-wide action plan on digitalisation in the water sector, including an initiative on smart metering for all. As announced in the Water Resilience Strategy, this action plan will unleash the benefits of digitalisation in water management and sustainable water use.
By modernising water management through data-driven innovation, this plan will help increase water efficiency, protect the water cycle and ensure that clean, affordable water remains available. It will also contribute to improving water infrastructures and supporting the large-scale deployment of the Internet of Things, including smart sensors and meters, for better water management. As national leakage levels vary from 8% to 57%, smart metering can reduce water use by up to 25%, with digital systems saving an additional 5-8% and leak detection reducing consumption by a further 7-14%.
Open until 24 June 2026, this call for evidence seeks to gather evidence and best practices on how technologies such as Artificial Intelligence can improve efficiency and infrastructure resilience, as well as the challenges that must be faced when implementing them, including regulatory bottlenecks which prevent scaling-up solutions across EU countries.
You can find more information on this call for evidence online.
(For more information: Anna-Kaisa Itkonen – Tel.: +32 2 295 75 01; Maëlys Dreux – Tel.: +32 2 295 46 73)
Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions programme opens call for pound 593 million in doctoral programmes and research
The European Commission has announced a new call for applications for Doctoral Networks under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). A total budget of pound 593 million will support over 130 doctoral programmes that feature cross-border, interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration, ultimately providing employment, training and skills development opportunities for more than 2000 doctoral researchers.
Doctoral Networks implement doctoral programmes in all scientific fields through partnerships of organisations across Europe and beyond. The aim is to train highly skilled doctoral candidates and boost their employability in the long-term.
A new element is introduced in this year’s call through the RAISE Doctoral Networks for AI in Science, a pilot initiative under Horizon Europe. It provides additional funding opportunities for projects that integrate artificial intelligence into scientific research.
The call for applications will be open until 24 November 2026, and potential applicants are encouraged to attend the dedicated online call information day on 3 June 2026. More information is available on the MSCA website.
(For more information: Eva Hrncirova – Tel.: +32 2 29 88433; Eirini Zarkadoula-Tel.: +32 2 29 57065)
Commission urges Member States to make full use of cohesion policy and the Just Transition Fund to tackle the energy crisis
Following the mid-term review of cohesion policy which led to the reallocation of funds towards the EU’s strategic priorities, the European Commission has called on EU Member States and regions to step up the use of the available financial opportunities to support the communities and regions most affected by the energy crisis.
In a letter sent today by Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, to the EU Ministers in charge of cohesion, the Commission explains that Member States can speed up the use of the Just Transition Fund wherever possible and necessary through various measures, including the creation of new financial instruments, financing not linked to costs and other programme adjustments.
Member States and regions can also reallocate cohesion policy funds, such as the European Regional Development Fund, to energy-related investments. This includes measures to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and to strengthen energy market stability, in line with the AccelerateEU strategy.
A letter will also be addressed to regions to explain that they can also use the cohesion resources for energy-related investments that deliver rapid impact, in line with national and regional priorities.
The Mid-Term Review of Cohesion Policy already allowed for the reallocation of pound 34.6 billion funds towards energy security, competitiveness or defence, proving the policy’s ability to respond to EU strategic priorities.
Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, Raffaele Fitto, said: “We are inviting Member States and Regions to undertake a reprogramming effort with a targeted focus on energy. The goal is clear: to rapidly redirect available cohesion resources – under the European Regional Development Fund, the Cohesion Fund, and the Just Transition Fund – towards investments that deliver immediate relief to families and businesses suffering from high energy prices’.
The Just Transition Fund is one of the EU’s cohesion policy funds for the 2021-2027 period. It supports the territories and people most affected by the transition towards climate neutrality to diversify their economies and avoid aggravating regional disparities.