The German Retail Association (HDE) assesses the action plan for e-commerce presented by the Federal Ministry of Economics positively. The association sees its repeated criticism of the current unfair competition with regard to online platforms such as Temu taken seriously and addressed.
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'The Federal Ministry of Economics has correctly identified the problems. This is no small matter; fair competition in the retail trade must be restored. Otherwise, there is a threat of major economic consequences for domestic retail. In the long run, it is economically unsustainable that domestic retailers must adhere to the strict requirements of the EU and federal regulations, particularly in consumer, environmental, and data protection areas, while competition from the Far East floods the market with cheap goods that, in many cases, do not comply with these regulations,' says HDE President Alexander von Preen.
With the action plan presented, the discussion about appropriate measures begins. 'The Federal Ministry of Economics is providing good and promising approaches, much of which the HDE had already formulated as demands,' von Preen continued. For example, the announcement that the duty-free limit of 150 euros will be abolished as soon as possible directly takes up an HDE demand. The HDE also welcomes the announcement that trading companies from third countries will be required to appoint a responsible economic actor established in the EU. Von Preen added, "The concerted control actions mentioned in the paper are decisive. In many areas, we primarily face an enforcement problem. The state must show presence and ensure compliance with the law."
In the long term, monitoring global e-commerce must transition from Germany's fragmented responsibilities to centralized structures to improve efficiency.
'Concrete measures are now on the agenda, and the action plan is a good starting point for quick implementation. Rapid concretization is required. The action plan sends a positive signal that the Federal Ministry of Economics is taking up the challenge,' said the HDE President. It is important to proceed in a targeted manner during implementation and avoid the build-up of unnecessary bureaucracy.
More information:
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