The €550M AliExpress Fine Isn’t About Fake Products. It’s About Power.
The EU’s record €550M fine against AliExpress looks like consumer protection, but it’s really a geopolitical power play. The Digital Services Act is being used to force Chinese e-commerce platforms to operate under European rules — and the cost will be passed directly to consumers through higher prices and fewer choices. The era of consequence-free cross-border shopping is ending.