Henna Virkkunen, the Finnish executive vice president for technology sovereignty, security, and democracy of the European Commission, met with French ministers in Paris on 6 November 2025 after France pressed European regulators to investigate global e-commerce platform Shein over a controversial listing described by French officials as a child-like sex doll.
French officials Roland Lescure and Anne Le Henanff sent a formal letter that demanded European Commission action under the Digital Services Act. They cited concerns about illegal products, including childlike sex dolls and weapons, and argued that systemic marketplace risks required coordinated enforcement rather than fragmented national measures.
Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier stated that discussions with France would inform regulatory steps and emphasized alignment with ongoing probes into illegal commercial practices by Shein. He noted that the company previously received warnings related to risk management failures under DSA obligations applicable to large online platforms.
French regulators initiated a national procedure on 5 November 2025 to suspend access to Shein unless compliance with marketplace rules, product safety requirements, and seller traceability standards could be demonstrated, while urging coordinated European oversight due to concerns about illegal items circulating through cross-border digital commerce channels.
Shein implemented an internal review and removed its adult products category after banning sex doll listings. Company officials also stated that screening processes would be strengthened to prevent recurrence and confirmed cooperation with European regulators during assessment linked to DSA requirements for risk reduction and illegal content mitigation.
France intensified pressure as Shein opened a Paris store. This has drawn attention from local retailers and advocacy groups concerned about fast fashion competition, customs gaps, and impacts. French ministers argued that European reforms addressing small parcel imports and exemptions are essential to ensure fair market conditions across member states.
This issue underscores enforcement challenges within digital commerce and highlights the regulatory reach enabled by the Digital Services Act. Note that this law allows penalties up to 6 percent of global revenue for designated platforms. European coordination will determine the next steps as regulators evaluate illegal products and risk mitigation duties.