Government inspectors have not seized any illegal fatbikes or fined any illegal sellers so far this year, despite promises of tougher enforcement, the Parool reported on Monday.

Last year it emerged that tens of thousands of Chinese fatbikes were being smuggled into Europe, avoiding VAT and import duties. In response, then infrastructure minister Barry Madlener said supervision would be stepped up by the transport ministry’s inspection agency (ILT), the product safety authority NVWA, and customs officers.

Nine months later, little has changed. The ILT told the Parool that only one inspection project is currently planned, while the NVWA said it has had “no reason” to seize unsafe electric bicycles this year. The ILT’s last press release on fatbikes dates from September 2024, when 16,500 illegal Chinese bikes were intercepted.

Both watchdogs say they have been in talks with online platforms, and that fewer illegal models are now being offered for sale. Bol.com said it had removed 121 listings this year, while Marktplaats declined to give figures but said it is taking action.

Nevertheless, industry groups say those efforts fall far short of what is needed. “The legal market is under control, but illegal fatbikes remain easy to find online,” a spokesman for the RAI Vereniging, which represents the bicycle industry, told the paper. “The promised increase in enforcement has not yet produced results.”

Police also report no visible improvement, and responsibility for enforcement remains divided between the different agencies. The ILT monitors mopeds, the NVWA checks electric bicycles, and fatbikes often fall between the two categories.

The ILT and NVWA now say they will begin joint inspections by the end of 2025. “We have invested this year in cooperation with customs and the police to achieve more results,” the ILT said.

Manufacturers say stronger action is overdue. “The ILT and NVWA have been asleep for too long,” said Mels van Hoolwerff of Dutch fatbike brand Phatfour. “If you add up the cost of parts, labour and transport, it’s impossible to make a fatbike that cheap.”

Estimates of how many fatbikes are now in circulation vary widely. Industry insiders believe there could be as many as half a million, with up to half sold through unofficial channels.