Stories from Brussels · Belgium

More than 100,000 products have been issued alerts and must be withdrawn from sale. The report was released by researchers. The announcement follows an annual report process. According to fraud repression authorities, 36% of products tested on platforms such as Shein, Temu, or AliExpress are considered dangerous. The alert concerns products sold on low-price platforms.

The European Commission has identified compliance failures regarding the Digital Services Act at Meta-owned platforms Instagram and Facebook. The Commission stated that Meta's Facebook and Instagram do not provide sufficient protections to control minor users and is threatening the parent company with fines. Experts warned that age-control measures could be quickly bypassed. Regulators are demanding that both platforms strictly enforce the minimum age requirement of 13 years as stated in their terms of service. The investigation focuses on the potential dangers these platforms pose to minors. The European Commission has issued preliminary findings regarding Instagram and Facebook's failure to protect children. A long-awaited age verification app for the internet was also discussed in relation to these findings. Andreas Meier commented on the situation from Brussels.

Google has released updates to address four critical security flaws in the Chrome browser. Users in Belgium and globally are advised to install the latest version to mitigate risks.

Alphabet received a one billion euro fine from the European Union due to competition distortions in Google advertising. The European Union is also investigating other issues including data access and data exchange. Apple is currently under scrutiny by the European Commission regarding platform restrictions. TikTok is also being monitored by regulators concerning protection measures for young users. The European Commission is also pursuing actions against X. Additionally, the EU is monitoring TikTok concerning protection measures for young users and is also taking action against X. The report noted that previous measures taken by the company to address these issues were insufficient. This fine is cited as one of several points of criticism from the EU. Investigations into X are also ongoing, according to the report.

Amazon's Chief Global Affairs and Legal Officer, David Zapolsky, has called on EU regulators to reform VAT rules. He claims current regulations disadvantage EU-based sellers. The request was made during a discussion with Euractiv.

A leader discussed the need for measures to prevent single-government obstruction within the European Union. The speaker noted that a single hostile veto can currently block the entire community from acting during geopolitical crises.

The European Commission has released an open-source version of a new digital passport app for age verification. Users can download the app and verify their age by syncing it with a national identity card or passport. An EU Commissioner stated that the open-source version allows anyone to test or attempt to hack the software. The Commission claims the final online version will be absolutely secure.

The European Parliament voted to allow politicians on maternity leave to vote by proxy for the first time. Female members can delegate their votes to a trusted colleague for up to three months before their due date and for six months after giving birth. The decision was announced by the European Parliament. This follows a revision process initiated by Parliament in November 2025. The Parliament stated the measure is intended to strengthen gender equality. The vote was conducted by the MEPs to address accessibility for parents.

The European Commission is temporarily allowing higher electricity price subsidies for certain companies to ease the energy crisis. This temporary state aid framework is set to remain in effect until December 31, 2026.

New EU reform proposals aim to regulate the amount of hazardous substances allowed in consumer products. The reform will distinguish between food and cosmetics, a distinction previously not made. The proposal is moving to negotiations between representatives from the European Parliament and the Council of the 27 EU member states. Manufacturers must prove that specific quantities of substances are harmless to continue use. Fraud repression authorities found that 46% of products tested on platforms such as Temu, China, and AliExpress are dangerous. The report highlights safety risks associated with goods sold on these major Chinese-linked platforms. More than 100,000 products have been flagged in an alert and must be withdrawn from sale. The report details concrete issues occurring on the ground regarding fraud repression.