In an open letter published on Tuesday 18 June, more than a dozen European trade associations have come together to denounce the “unfair competition” and fraudulent practices of several online sales platforms of foreign origin, particularly from Asia.
In particular, they deplore the “aggressive” marketing policies pursued by these companies, as well as the advantage conferred on them by the massive State aid granted to them by their countries of origin.
According to the signatories, these practices distort competition within the European single market and are highly detrimental to EU companies, which are subject to strict rules lacking in harmonisation at EU level.
“It is currently very challenging for EU-based players to compete on an equal level with these new players from outside the EU”, says the letter, which also deplores how difficult it is for the EU to force these foreign players to comply with European law.
The signatories insist that these players “should be sanctioned with the same determination that is applied to EU-based players in case of infringements”.
See the letter: https://aeur.eu/f/cri (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)