EU-Vietnam agreements a major step forward and need to be implemented soon
Speaking today after the signature over the weekend in Hanoi of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade and Investment Protection Agreements, EuroCommerce Director-General Christian Verschueren commented:
“We have been pressing for a free trade agreement with Vietnam for many years. We are therefore very pleased that Commissioner Malmström and her Vietnamese counterpart were able to sign these two agreements yesterday in Hanoi. This is the most ambitious EU agreement ever signed with a developing country, and after more than three years since the initial deal was struck, we hope to see the agreements ratified and in force as soon as possible.”
EU-Mercosur good news for Europe and for global trade
Speaking today after the conclusion of EU-Mercosur Trade agreement EuroCommerce Director-General Christian Verschueren said:
“After twenty years of negotiation, we are very happy to see the free trade agreement with Mercosur finally concluded. It is a sign to those who are seeking to return to the law of the jungle in trade, or to write off the liberal economic and social order globally, that 780 million people on both sides of the Atlantic are committed to free trade and the prosperity it brings. I am also very pleased to see Mercosur governments commit to effective implementation of the Paris climate agreement and to a detailed chapter on sustainable development, including on deforestation”.
Mercosur is the world’s 7th largest economy and 5th largest market outside the EU with an annual GDP of €2.2 trillion. The EU exported goods to the four Mercosur countries totaling €45 billion, and imported goods from Mercosur worth €42.6 billion in 2018. The EU exported €23 billion worth of services to Mercosur while Mercosur exported services worth €11 billion to the EU.
Lithuanian association joins EuroCommerce, making a full house
Read moreThe Association of Lithuanian Trade Enterprises (Lietuvos prekybos įmonių asociacija - LPIA) has just joined EuroCommerce as a new member.
EuroCommerce Director-General Christian Verschueren said:
“We are delighted to welcome LPIA as a member: we have missed Lithuania’s voice in our discussions and decision-making for some years. LPIA’s membership now means a historic milestone for the European retail and wholesale federation. This is the first time in its history that EuroCommerce embraces national associations from all 28 Member States of the European Union.”
LPIA was established in 1997 to represent retailers in Lithuania, including in social dialogue. It has 15 active members from food and non-food retailers, including the four largest Lithuanian food retailers as well as networks of small food retailers, drugstores, clothing shops, electronics retailers, retail service providers and convenience stores.
Single Market for Services remains a top priority for retail and wholesale
Read moreThe digital revolution is forcing fundamental change to the retail and wholesale sector. It depends on free movement of goods and services around Europe and the world, and therefore shares with the whole EU economy the imperative of resisting populist pressure to break up the Single Market.
As a contribution to the ongoing debate on how to develop a competitive Europe, EuroCommerce has launched its paper ‘Making the Single Market a fairer, sustainable and globally competitive space’, setting out the retail and wholesale sector’s ideas for the next Commission on how to strengthen and deepen the Single Market and stimulate economic growth and jobs.
These ideas were echoed in a keynote address by Director-General Christian Verschueren at the High-Level Conference on Retail organised by the European Commission last week.
"The Narratives"
EuroCommerce Narrative on Retail and Wholesale in a changing world…
The world is changing rapidly. Retailers and wholesalers have repeatedly shown how resilient and adaptive they are, and are moving ahead with embracing this change, providing value to customers, suppliers, and society at large. This great story is worth telling – both to the sector and to the wider world. And the story needs to say clearly what we want from the EU and from national governments to make our sector sustainably competitive.
Ecommerce sector forecasted to continue its steady growth in 2019
Read moreThe European online retail sector is once again on a good track towards a prosperous growth throughout 2019. After an increase in turnover by 11.87% to €547 billion in 2018, the European B2C ecommerce turnover is forecasted to grow even further in 2019 by close to 14% to €621 billion. This is one of the main outcomes of the European B2C Ecommerce Report 2019, which is jointly launched today by Ecommerce Europe and EuroCommerce. The report outlines the main facts and figures on the ecommerce sector in Europe and provides detailed insights for each European ecommerce market.
UN World Food Safety Day: EU Agri-food chain’s commitment to safe food for consumers, from farm to fork
Read moreToday is the first World Food Safety Day, following its adoption by the United Nations General Assembly in 2018. To mark the day CELCAA, Copa-Cogeca, EuroCommerce, FEFAC and FoodDrinkEurope are reiterating their commitment to delivering safe food to consumers all around the globe.