In 2025, almost six billion low-value parcels from countries outside the EU entered the European market. On average, customs checked only 65 items per million. The German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (German abbr. DIHK) and the German Retail Federation (German abbr. HDE) see this as a major gap in enforcement. It affects producers, sellers and fair competition.
In a joint policy paper, the two associations propose ten measures to improve controls in online retail and enforce existing rules more effectively:
- Special task forces should coordinate inspections across federal states.
- A central office should collect reports of violations and forward them to the relevant authorities.
- Web crawlers should automatically detect problematic online offers.
- Fulfilment centres should be checked for illegal products.
- Test purchases should help uncover violations and trace supply chains.
- Registers should be cross-checked to identify missing environmental registrations and unpaid fees.
- Import VAT should be monitored more closely.
- Complete product information should help identify dangerous products.
- The EU should speed up DSA procedures and enforce penalties more consistently.
- More staff and clear responsibilities should strengthen enforcement.
These measures are not about introducing new product rules. Instead, the associations want better organisation and technical support for the authorities. However, the success of these measures will depend on having enough staff, suitable technology and establishing clear procedures. The policy paper does not yet include specific deadlines or details about the resources needed.
VERE e.V. is in contact with the relevant stakeholders and keeps its members informed of further developments via the “VERE Insider”.
