The Commission has the power under the DSA to initiate probes that can lead to fines of 6 percent of its annual global turnover, although none have been levied thus far.
The request for information doesn’t signal the opening of an investigation, but it shows the Commission is looking into potential non-compliance.
“The Commission is now formally asking the platform to provide detailed information and internal documents on how it ensures that minors are not exposed to age-inappropriate content, in particular through age assurance measures, as well as how it prevents the circulation of illegal products on its platform,” the EU executive said on Wednesday.
Shein received the request for information and is “working to promptly address it,” company spokesperson Martin Reidy told POLITICO, stating “we share the Commission’s goal of ensuring that consumers in the EU can shop online with peace of mind.”
The firm met with the Commission in recent days to brief them on the steps taken to protect consumers and to meet obligations under the DSA, Reidy said.
The European Parliament is on Wednesday expected to call for stricter protections for consumers under EU law in response to the child-like sex doll controversy.
