Zalando says differs from other online platforms, EU tech rules should not apply

Foo Yun Chee

Thu, Mar 6, 2025, 4:00 AM 2 min read

By Foo Yun Chee

LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - Zalando, Europe's biggest online manner retailer, connected Thursday criticised EU tech regulators for lumping it successful the aforesaid radical arsenic Amazon and AliExpress, saying it should not beryllium taxable to arsenic stringent provisions of the bloc's tech rules arsenic the different 2 companies.

The European Commission's Digital Services Act (DSA), which came into effect successful 2022 requires precise ample online platforms (VLOP) to bash much to tackle amerciable and harmful contented oregon hazard fines arsenic overmuch arsenic 6% of their planetary yearly revenue.

Such statement should not use to Zalando, the institution told Europe's second-top court.

"Amazon, AliExpress, booking.com. Zalando differs fundamentally from these (business models). The European Commission has not paid capable attraction to this," Zalando's lawyer Robert Briske told the sheet of 5 judges astatine the General Court.

"Zalando has a hybrid work which successful our presumption is 1 of the issues successful this case. It is not purely an online shop, not purely an online marketplace," Briske said.

Zalando, which connected Thursday said it aimed to grow its scope of brands, sells its ain products arsenic good arsenic those provided by partners.

Briske besides disputed the Commission's number of Zalando's progressive users, saying its 83 cardinal fig was erroneous and that lone 30.8 cardinal visitors to its tract tin beryllium counted arsenic progressive recipients successful 2023 erstwhile it was classified arsenic a VLOP.

The EU enforcement said determination was nary quality betwixt Zalando's concern exemplary and that of Amazon oregon AliExpress.

"Amazon Store, AliExpress, each run likewise hybrid services," Commission lawyer Liane Wildpanner told the court.

"The applicant is seeking to person the champion of some worlds," she said.

BEVH, Germany's e-commerce association, backed Zalando portion the European Information Society Institute, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union sided with the Commission.

The General Court volition regularisation connected the situation successful the coming months. Amazon has besides sued the Commission implicit its designation and is waiting for the tribunal to acceptable a day for a hearing.

The lawsuit is T-348/23 Zalando v Commission.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)