The European Commission has today imposed a fine of 550 million euros on AliExpress for the Chinese platform’s failure to control risks related to the sale in the European Union of illegal, unsafe, or counterfeit products on its electronic marketplace. This includes everything from toys to dangerous cosmetics that circulated freely on the platform and, in many cases, remained online for weeks after being detected until they were removed. The company intends to appeal what it calls a “disproportionate” sanction, Reuters reports.

Purchases from Chinese platforms in Spain cause a revenue shortfall of 1.058 billion euros in the trade and distribution sector. Whether Shein, Temu, or Alibaba, behind cheap purchases there is a greater impact than consumers imagine, blindly guided by price. The truth is that their packages usually pay VAT on less than their real value; social security contributions and personal income tax are lost by avoiding setting up a chain of stores, workers, and local suppliers; and companies do not face corporate tax like local ones, as these are brands with a foreign base and minimal presence in Spain.

The housing market has entered a new cycle after more than a year of accelerated growth. The first sign was the cooling of sales in practically all of Spain, with 3.4% fewer transactions between January and May. Now, the slowdown in transactions is followed by a slowdown in mortgage signings.

The Secretary of State for Housing and Urban Agenda, David Lucas, who suspended his schedule three weeks ago to undergo oncological treatment, has passed away this Monday, July 20, at the age of 58, according to sources from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda.