Sex dolls and weapons in the background. Shein did not appear on the carpet in France

Representatives of the Chinese platform Shein did not appear at the hearing scheduled for Tuesday by the French Parliament's committee on sustainable development. The committee will contact the prosecutor's office. Shein wanted to postpone the meeting while waiting for the court's decision in his case, which will be made on December 5.

MP Sandrine Le Feur, who heads the sustainable development committee in France's lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, said she would appeal to the prosecutor's office on Tuesday evening.

She accused the platform of disrespecting the parliament.

“Deputies respect ongoing proceedings and the division of branches of government, so the (current) investigation is no excuse not to appear before the committee,” Le Feur said.

Shein asked for another postponement of the meeting with the commission, arguing that he wanted to wait first for the decision of the court in Paris regarding the request to suspend the platform's website. Representatives of the platform stated that they had noted the announcement to appeal to the prosecutor's office. They assured that they still wanted to take part in the committee's work.

The hearing was already postponed once, from November 26 to December 2. Appearing before a parliamentary committee is mandatory. Absence is punishable by a fine of PLN 7,500. euro. Previously, Shein's representatives did not show up for a meeting with the parliamentary mission, which did not pose a risk of such consequences.

On December 5, a court in Paris will consider the request of the French authorities to suspend the Shein portal for three months. The reopening would take place under certain conditions and under the control of the state internet regulator, Arcom.

The French government requested the suspension of Shein at the beginning of November this year after discovering that it was being offered on the platform sex dolls that look like children, as well as weapons restricted in France. After this scandal, the platform suspended the sale of goods from external producers in France, i.e. the so-called marketplace.marketplace. There is also a Shein portal offering its own products.

At the same time, court procedures initiated by the authorities are still ongoing. The government in Paris believes that violations by large trading platforms have become systemic and the Ministry of Economy wants to force them to comply with the requirements.

From Paris Anna Wróbel (PAP)

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