The European Commission has raised alarms over a significant uptick in the number of unsafe products detected within the European Union, with a notable proportion of these products originating from China. This warning came forth as the EU grapples with the rising tide of inexpensive e-commerce imports. In a report released on Wednesday, the commission disclosed that it received over 4,000 alerts concerning dangerous products in the previous yearthe highest figure recorded since the establishment of the EU-wide alert system in 2003.

Of the unsafe products reported, cosmetics emerged as the most concerning category, constituting a staggering 36 percent of the total alerts. The report highlighted that a common risk factor among these products was the presence of hazardous chemicals, specifically mentioning a synthetic compound known as BMHCA. This substance, which has been banned in the EU due to its potential to harm human reproductive health, exemplifies the risks posed by certain imports.

Alarmingly, around 40 percent of the flagged unsafe products were imported from China, underscoring the need for heightened scrutiny over goods entering the EU market. The Chinese chamber of commerce based in Brussels has yet to respond to inquiries regarding these findings.

This report emerges in the backdrop of the EU's ongoing efforts to tackle the soaring number of products sold on popular online marketplaces like Temu, Shein, and Amazon Marketplace. Last year alone, European consumers received over 4 billion lower-value packages, with approximately 90 percent of these deliveries arriving directly from China. One of the critical issues is that these low-cost imports are often exempt from customs inspections due to duty-free thresholds, which further complicates the EU's ability to ensure product safety.

In response to these challenges, the European Commission has proposed measures aiming to hold e-commerce platforms accountable for the sale of dangerous or illegal products. The proposal also seeks to eliminate the current exemption from customs duties for goods valued under 150, along with the establishment of a dedicated EU customs authority to oversee these matters more effectively.

Michael McGrath, the EU commissioner responsible for consumer protection, emphasized the importance of the alert system, stating that it allows for a swift response to the risks posed by hazardous goods throughout the EU. Beyond cosmetics, the report noted the detection of dangerous chemicals in a variety of products, including vape liquids, clothing, jewelry, and toys. Alerts have also been issued regarding certain electrical appliances and motor vehicles.

Italy stood out as the country with the highest number of dangerous product alerts, revealing concerns about both the safety of imported goods and Italy's position as a significant source of these products, accounting for 16 percent of the total alerts. Furthermore, approximately 24 percent of the warnings were related to products imported from other countries within the European Economic Area, which encompasses the EU along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.