Seller briefings

Impact level

⚪ Background

What happened

On September 28, 2026, the EU Official Journal published corrigendum CELEX:32018R1023R(05), making technical corrections to Regulation (EU) 2018/1023. The Official Journal states that the corrigendum does not concern the English version, which remains unaffected. The evidence does not specify which language versions are covered, the provisions corrected, or the practical impact on businesses. [1]

Seller impact

• InferenceThe corrigendum does not affect the English version, so sellers relying on the English text as their compliance basis do not need to change their current approach for now. The evidence provided does not establish whether other language versions differ or whether any differences affect declaration or labeling obligations. [1]

Evidence that would disprove the assessment

• Assessment 1：This assessment would no longer apply if a later Official Journal notice or European Commission statement shows that the corrigendum changes substantive obligations, or if the English version is revised separately.

Impact level

⚪ Background

What happened

On September 28, 2026, the Official Journal of the European Union published a corrigendum to Regulation No. 2026/1744 (CELEX:32026R1744R(01)). The Regulation was adopted on July 8, 2026, and published on July 24. It amends Regulations (EU) 2024/1689, (EU) 2018/1139, and (EU) 2023/1230, with the aim of simplifying the implementation of harmonised rules on artificial intelligence; it is known as the AI Digital Omnibus Regulation. The corrigendum expressly states that it does not affect the English-language text. The corrections in other language versions and the specific provisions involved are unknown. [1]

Seller impact

• InferenceThe correction affects only the wording of non-English language versions. It does not change the rules for sellers checking their compliance obligations against the English-language text. However, if you relied on translations such as the German text to understand your obligations, use the corrected text. [1]

Evidence that would disprove the assessment

• Assessment 1：This assessment would no longer hold if the European Commission or the Official Journal later states that the correction did change provisions or scope in the English-language version.

Impact level

⚪ Background

What happened

On 28 September 2026, the EU Official Journal published a corrigendum to regulation CELEX:32024R2044R(01). The Official Journal states that the corrigendum does not concern the English-language version. No information was provided beyond the corrigendum number, publication date, and the statement that it does not concern the English-language version; the regulation’s title, covered products, obligations, and entry-into-force date were not provided. [1]

Seller impact

• FactFor sellers relying on the English-language version, this corrigendum does not change the English text. The specific changes to other language versions are unknown, so it is not possible to determine whether they affect local enforcement practices or labeling and declaration obligations. [1]
• InferenceThe regulation’s number, subject, covered products, and status are not provided in the evidence available for this review. It is therefore not possible to determine whether any platform or product category needs to be adjusted, or to infer that the corrigendum introduces new obligations. [1]

Evidence that would disprove the assessment

• Assessment 1：This assessment would no longer hold if the EU later publishes a revised text of the corrigendum affecting the English-language version, or explicitly states that it affects English-language compliance obligations.
• Assessment 2：This assessment should be revised if the EUR-Lex page for this CELEX number provides the regulation’s full title, covered products, and entry-into-force date, and shows a material change to the obligations of English-language operators.

Impact level

🟡 Consider

What happened

On September 28, 2026, Amazon announced in the seller dashboards for France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Spain, as well as in an announcement for the U.S. marketplace, that it was adding automatic main-image prechecks when products are created one at a time. As soon as a main image is uploaded, the system checks for a non-white background and for text, logos, graphics, or watermarks; if any are detected, an error appears. Sellers can use an image corrected by the platform, upload a compliant image themselves, or select “Fix later” and confirm to submit with the defect. If they take no action or confirm that they cannot submit, the noncompliant image may cause the listing to be suppressed in search. The feature is still being rolled out, so sellers should check whether it is available on their marketplaces. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Seller impact

• InferenceThe precheck moves main-image compliance review from after-sales review to the time of listing. Listings submitted with defects may still be suppressed in search, shifting image-fix costs to the listing stage. Listing speed may be affected for bulk listings, listings that rely on supplier images, or images containing logos. However, the announcement does not specify the probability of suppression or how long recovery takes. [1] [4] [3]
• FactThe announcement covers only Amazon in the United States and five European marketplaces. It does not mention Temu, SHEIN, TikTok, eBay, or AliExpress. This review found no evidence on whether other platforms are introducing similar prechecks; their enforcement policies remain to be verified. [4] [5]

Evidence that would disprove the assessment

• Assessment 1：This assessment would no longer apply if Amazon later announces that submission will not be blocked, or clarifies that noncompliant images do not trigger search suppression.
• Assessment 2：This scope description should be updated if any of those platforms publishes an official announcement about similar main-image prechecks.

Impact level

⚪ Background

What happened

On September 28, 2026, Italy’s Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) held the first meeting of the committee overseeing implementation of the AST Terni project agreement. Minister Urso said MIMIT had fulfilled its commitments under the agreement signed in June 2025, including development contracts and the scrap regulations submitted to Brussels. The agreement calls for €557 million in investment by 2028 to improve equipment energy efficiency, strengthen stainless steel capacity, develop electrical steel research, and advance environmental sustainability. Monitoring launched today will track investment progress and timelines over the coming months. Energy cost issues require further technical study with the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security and the regional authorities. [1]

Involves:Stainless steel、Electrical steel

Seller impact

• InferenceIf the €557 million investment is completed on schedule, Italy’s domestic stainless and electrical steel supply capacity could increase in the medium term. However, the announcement provides no figures for added capacity or output, or a commissioning date, so the actual impact on regional supply and demand cannot be quantified. [1]
• FactThe meeting highlighted the impact of energy costs on energy-intensive production but disclosed no electricity prices, cost shares, or subsidy measures. The direction and scale of any pass-through to stainless steel prices therefore cannot be determined. [1]

Evidence that would disprove the assessment

• Assessment 1：This assessment would no longer hold if subsequent official documents reduce the investment amount, delay the 2028 timeline, or cancel electrical steel research and development.
• Assessment 2：This assessment can be revised if MIMIT later publishes specific data on energy costs or compensation mechanisms.

Impact level

⚪ Background

What happened

On September 28, 2026, the European Commission published verification and accreditation guidance, CBAM Registry access procedures, and operational documents for verification bodies, and added three training videos. The guidance is intended for verification bodies that verify emissions reports for imported CBAM goods from January 1, 2026. The Registry access procedures apply from September 1, 2026. The videos cover applying to become a registered verifier, submitting change requests, and managing requests to collaborate with third-country installation operators. [1]

Seller impact

• InferenceThese resources are intended for verification bodies rather than importers. However, the ability of verification bodies and third-country installation operators to work together will indirectly affect the availability of emissions data for importers of CBAM goods from 2026 onward. The source provides no evidence on lead times, fees, or capacity, so any actual time or cost impact cannot be quantified. [1]

Evidence that would disprove the assessment

• Assessment 1：This assessment of indirect impacts would no longer hold if the European Commission later introduced simplified reporting or exemption rules for importers, or confirmed that verification capacity was more than sufficient.

Impact level

⚪ Background

Deadline / window:30 September 2026 [2]

What happened

On September 27, 2026, the European Commission’s DG CNECT announced the five-member jury for the 2026 European Digital Connectivity Awards. Its members are from the Dutch Fiber Association, SNS JU, the Greek broadband authority, Belgium’s Federal Public Service Economy, and A1 Croatia. They will evaluate nominations and winning projects across three categories. An earlier announcement on September 8 said the application deadline had been extended to September 30, 2026. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Brussels on December 2, 2026. [1] [2]

Seller impact

• InferenceThe awards recognize projects already in the implementation phase involving fiber, 5G, fixed wireless, satellite, backbone networks, and international interconnection. They have no direct impact on cross-border e-commerce platform rules, tariffs, logistics, or seller costs. [1] [2]

Evidence that would disprove the assessment

• Assessment 1：This assessment would no longer hold if a future official announcement linked the awards to export seller qualifications, subsidies, or platform compliance.

Impact level

⚪ Background

What happened

In a notice dated September 23, 2026, the European Commission said that signatories to the Code of Practice on Disinformation had published their second batch of reports, covering January 1 through June 30, 2026. The reports came from online platforms including Google, Meta, Microsoft, and TikTok, and included dedicated sections on the war in Ukraine and election integrity. The Code was integrated into the DSA co-regulatory framework on July 1, 2025. VLOPs and VLOSEs must report every six months, undergo an independent annual audit, and use the Code as a DSA compliance benchmark. [1]

Seller impact

• InferenceThis serves as a DSA compliance benchmark and does not create new seller obligations. Changes visible to sellers may include platforms adjusting recommendation systems, ad reviews, and content moderation standards to uphold their compliance commitments. This could indirectly affect ad review and decisions on account penalties, but this notice mentions no rules directly targeting sellers. [1]
• FactThe Commission said that, after a full year of reporting data is available, it will open a dialogue with all VLOP and VLOSE signatories to discuss the level of their commitments and their participation. The outcome of the dialogue, whether it will trigger formal proceedings, and the timeline have not been announced; the impact on enforcement affecting sellers cannot be quantified. [1]

Evidence that would disprove the assessment

• Assessment 1：This assessment would no longer hold if a subsequent EU announcement or report states that signatories’ commitments do not form a basis for DSA determinations, or explicitly excludes product advertising.
• Assessment 2：Any new announcement will take precedence if the Commission announces that the dialogue has begun and provides specific conclusions, or instead launches a formal DSA investigation directly.

Impact level

⚪ Background

What happened

The European Board for Digital Services held its 20th meeting in Brussels on September 24, 2026. It discussed the European Commission’s recent announcements on strengthening children’s online safety, the role of the DSA in strengthening European election integrity, and the importance of trusted flaggers. It welcomed the European Commission’s EU KIDS Act proposal, introduced on September 17, 2026. The meeting issued only a news statement and announced no enforcement decisions targeting sellers or timetable for platform obligations. [1]

Seller impact

• FactThe EU KIDS Act is currently only a proposal, introduced on September 17, 2026, and has not been shown to have been adopted or taken effect. The statement does not announce any new obligations under the existing DSA. For sellers operating in the EU whose products may reach minors, the statement does not establish any direct short-term business impact. [1]
• InferenceThe meeting mentioned the trusted flagger mechanism. If subsequent DSA enforcement places greater emphasis on it, platforms may devote more resources to handling reports, indirectly affecting listing takedowns and appeal timelines. However, the statement names no platform, product category, or seller obligation, so this is an inference; the monitoring period is unknown. [1]

Evidence that would disprove the assessment

• Assessment 1：This assessment that the measure is “only a proposal” would be overturned if the European Commission or Council published a formally adopted text and its effective date.
• Assessment 2：This inference would need to be revised if the European Commission or a platform announced specific enforcement rules or seller obligations concerning trusted flaggers, or explicitly ruled out any impact on sellers.

Impact level

⚪ Background

What happened

The European Commission has extended the deadline for the ADACities call for expressions of interest (CEoI) and launched an EU Survey to match stakeholders and help form consortia. An online information session on September 15 attracted 84 participants from the autonomous mobility ecosystem. They discussed the roles of cities and public authorities, vehicle and use case scope, funding, links to Horizon Europe, and cross-border testing grounds. Expressions of interest must be sent to [email protected]; the matchmaking survey is not a submission channel. The original text does not give the revised deadline. [1]

Seller impact

• FactThis is a call for expressions of interest and matchmaking for urban autonomous driving deployment. Participants include public authorities, automakers, suppliers, technology companies, mobility operators, startups, and research institutions. No funding amount, procurement list, or mass production timeline has been announced; the direct impact on sellers’ orders is unknown. [1]
• InferenceAttendance by just 84 people, along with the ongoing need to clarify demand and support consortium formation, suggests that this ecosystem is at an early team-building stage. Demand for sensors, in-vehicle computing, and similar products for urban autonomous driving deployment is project-based rather than part of mass-market e-commerce categories, making stable B2C sales unlikely in the short term. [1]

Evidence that would disprove the assessment

• Assessment 1：This assessment should be revised if the European Commission later announces CEoI funding amounts, procurement volumes, or deployment timelines and explicitly includes purchases of components or equipment.
• Assessment 2：The assessment that this is an early-stage effort would no longer hold if official sources announce a finalized list of consortia and specify the scale and timeline for vehicle and equipment procurement. We recommend checking the European Commission’s page again in two weeks.

Impact level

⚪ Background

What happened

On September 23, 2026, the European Commission held the fifth roundtable on the implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) online, with about 60 civil society organizations and researchers participating. The discussion focused on systemic risks and mitigation measures. The Commission outlined key steps in the DSA enforcement process and discussed recent enforcement priorities: protection of minors, online marketplaces, AI-related risks, and the newly proposed EU KIDS Act. The meeting announced no new seller obligations, effective dates, or platform remediation deadlines. [1]

Seller impact

• InferenceInference: The roundtable’s designation of online marketplaces and AI risks as enforcement priorities indicates that DSA scrutiny of platform product compliance, recommendations, and AI features remains unchanged. However, the meeting introduced no new seller obligations or platform deadlines, so it does not directly affect business operations in the short term. [1]
• InferenceInference: The KIDS Act is currently only a “recently presented proposal” and has not become law. Its content, scope, and timeline are all unknown based on these materials, so seller obligations cannot be predicted from them. [1]

Evidence that would disprove the assessment

• Assessment 1：If the European Commission later issues a binding decision or guidance targeting online marketplaces, sets a remediation deadline, or announces the KIDS Act’s formal entry-into-force date and seller obligations, the judgment that there is “no direct change in the short term” would no longer hold.
• Assessment 2：If the EU officially announces that the KIDS Act has advanced to the next stage of the legislative process, or publishes its final text or entry-into-force date, the judgment that it is “only a proposal, with its binding effect unknown” should be updated.

Impact level

⚪ Background

What happened

On September 22, 2026, the European Commission opened registration for the first European Zero Pollution Forum, which will take place in Brussels on December 7 and is co-hosted by the Commission and the European Committee of the Regions. Environment Commissioner Roswall announced at a meeting of the Zero Pollution Stakeholder Platform that the platform is entering a new phase focused on expanding membership, implementation, and cooperation. The meeting previewed the European Environment Agency and the Joint Research Centre’s plan to publish the third Zero Pollution Monitoring and Outlook report by the end of 2026. Registration and applications to exhibit are now open. [1]

Seller impact

• FactSo far, the forum announcement covers only registration and a preview of the agenda. It has not announced specific obligations, limits, or effective dates for packaging, batteries, or products. It therefore has no directly actionable impact on sellers’ compliance costs or shipping procedures at this time. [1]
• InferenceInference: The Commission emphasizes implementation, investment, and the circular economy, so the agenda may lean toward packaging, water resources, and pollution control. However, the announcement names no industry obligations or timeline, and it is unclear whether these topics will become seller rules. [1]

Evidence that would disprove the assessment

• Assessment 1：This assessment should be revised if the European Commission later publishes draft legislation, guidance, or platform enforcement rules associated with the forum.
• Assessment 2：This inference would not hold if the third Zero Pollution Monitoring and Outlook report, expected by the end of 2026, proposes no new business obligations or industry requirements. Review it after publication.