Temu must assess its risks for illegal products more closely. The accepted action plan does not guarantee the immediate removal of individual listings.
Key points
- The European Commission accepted Temu’s action plan for risk assessment on the marketplace on 26 October 2026.
- Five measures cover moderation, recommendation algorithms, metrics and possible manipulation by traders.
- Temu has four months to implement the plan; an external audit and further Commission oversight are planned.
Temu must investigate more closely how its marketplace spreads illegal products. The European Commission has accepted an action plan from the company and named five concrete areas to review. For shoppers, that means the platform is meant to improve its processes – but individual listings will not automatically disappear straight away.
The plan follows a Commission decision from May 2026. At the time, the Commission fined Temu €200 million, saying the company had not sufficiently assessed its systemic risks. The now-accepted measures are meant to fix that shortcoming.
The five points of the action plan
Temu must first produce a risk analysis tailored to its own marketplace that draws on current, reliable information. It must also set metrics to measure whether its countermeasures actually work.
Temu must also examine the limits of proactive content moderation – according to the Commission, that includes the platform’s rules, automated detection, manual checks, feedback and the resources used for them. A further point concerns recommendation and other algorithmic systems: Temu must analyse whether they can amplify the spread of illegal listings.
The fifth point concerns deliberate manipulation. The company must examine how traders or other users could exploit marketplace features to spread illegal product listings quickly and widely. The European Commission describes the measures and required checks in detail.
Four months to implement – then an audit
According to the Commission, Temu has four months to implement the action plan. The company must also submit a preliminary risk assessment covering a six-month period up to 30 November 2026.
An external, independent audit is also planned. Temu must submit the audit report to the Commission within four months of implementing the measures. If the auditor makes recommendations, Temu must report back to the Commission on their implementation within a further month. The Commission says it will monitor implementation, paying particular attention to points the European Board for Digital Services had previously found insufficiently explained.
The Board issued an opinion on 24 September. It considered the proposed changes partly adequate but criticised missing detail needed to judge their effectiveness conclusively. The Commission said it had taken this assessment into account and clarified implementation requirements.
What it means for buyers
The decision concerns the platform’s risk assessment and countermeasures as a whole. It is not a blanket statement that every product on offer is illegal or dangerous, nor confirmation that the five measures have already been fully implemented. For consumers, it mainly means better traceability once implementation and review are complete.
The Commission had based its earlier May decision on an investigation that covered, among other things, selected chargers and toys for young children. Those earlier findings are the background to the case, but not a current review of every product on offer. The Commission’s announcement of the fine, 28 May 2026, explains its findings at the time.
Frequently asked questions
Will illegal listings disappear from Temu immediately?
No. The accepted action plan concerns risk assessment and the procedures to curb such listings. It does not order the immediate, blanket removal of individual products. The Commission says it will monitor implementation.
What exactly must Temu investigate?
Its risk analysis, the effect of countermeasures, possible limits of moderation, the influence of recommendation systems, and manipulation by traders or other users.
How will implementation be checked?
Temu must commission an external, independent audit and submit the report to the Commission. The Commission also announces its own additional oversight.
Which of these checks do you think matters most for safer online shopping? Share your view in the comments.
What applies in the UK, separately
This European Commission decision is an EU Digital Services Act (DSA) procedure and does not, by itself, apply to the United Kingdom, which is not an EU member state and is not bound by the DSA. UK shoppers are instead covered by separate domestic rules: the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) gained stronger powers to enforce consumer protection law directly under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, including bans on fake reviews, clearer pricing and penalties for breaches, while general product safety on marketplaces falls under the UK’s existing product safety regime, overseen by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS). The CMA has not announced a UK action plan for Temu equivalent to the one the European Commission accepted.
Sources and status
- UK Government: Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 receives Royal Assent, gov.uk
- European Commission: acceptance of the Temu action plan, 26 October 2026
- European Commission: fine against Temu, 28 May 2026
Research and data as of: 1 November 2026. Statements on the measures and the procedure reflect the European Commission’s own announcements cited above.
Transparency note: AI-assisted tools were used in researching, structuring and writing this article. The sources used are listed in the article. Publication takes place only after manual editorial approval. Translation of the German-language original on NETZ-TRENDS.de.
