Merz contemplates initiating a war against Temu, Shein, and their affiliates.
Friedrich Merz, head of CDU, calls for tougher oversight of massive Chinese online marketplaces like Temu and Shein. He argues that it's not right for European merchants to be scrutinized relentlessly while 200,000 shipments a day from China to Germany go unchecked. Merz also accuses them of skirting customs regulations.
In a letter, Merz criticizes the current situation where European manufacturers are under constant scrutiny, while their supply chains are controlled worldwide, yet affordable goods from Asia are imported in large quantities without proper customs or product inspections.
According to Merz, fair competition requires equal footing for all. Therefore, the regulation of Chinese online platforms has become a pressing political issue.
It's interesting to note that platforms like Temu and Shein are advertising extensively for the European Football Championship and on numerous broadcast channels.
These platforms have been shipping enormous quantities of cheap Chinese goods directly to European consumers, and particularly Germans, without any product or customs inspections, Merz adds. This practice appears to involve widespread falsification of the goods' value.
What's more concerning, Merz points out, is that nobody checks if the goods directly delivered to consumers' doorsteps adhere to European environmental and consumer safety standards. Thus, it's essential that German and European politics address these issues promptly.
Trade policy is the exclusive domain of the European Union. Therefore, a unified approach among some European countries is necessary, working in conjunction with the EU Commission and the current Trade Commissioner of the EU.
Read also:
- Friedrich Merz, advocating for the EU, suggests strengthening regulations on Chinese online marketplaces like Temu and Shein, arguing for equal scrutiny of EU merchants and Asian imports, especially in terms of customs and product inspections.
- The EU Commission, holding the authority over trade policy, should work collaboratively with its member states and the current Trade Commissioner to establish a unified approach towards the oversight of Chinese online platforms to ensure compliance with EU environmental protection and consumer protection standards.
- In light of Merz's concerns, it's crucial for the EU to review its trade relations with China, focusing on the proper control of supply chains, product inspections, and adherence to environmental and consumer safety standards for goods directly delivered to European consumers.
- As the head of CDU, Merz encourages the EU to apply stricter trade measures against China, specifically towards online marketplaces like Temu and Shein, to protect both EU manufacturers and consumers by ensuring fair competition and safeguarding their rights to environmentally and consumer-friendly products.
