EuroCommerce

? What do wholesalers actually do? Think about the last time you bought something in a shop, took medicine, or ate at a restaurant. Behind every product, there’s a wholesale operation making it happen. ?? Wholesalers ensure that: ??Hospitals get life-saving medicines on time ??Restaurants receive fresh ingredients every day ?? Construction sites never run out of materials From #agriculture to #technology, #wholesalers connect every sector — but they rarely get the credit they deserve. #AppreciateWholesale ?? Let’s change that. Appreciate the invisible giant in your life: https://lnkd.in/e4DyvvUY Vanessa K. Leena Whittaker EUEW - European Union of Electrical Wholesalers GIRP - European Healthcare Distribution Association BGA UFEMAT METRO AG

Back from Warsaw where we held our Board meeting earlier this week! ? ?? Quite an opportune moment and location to review with our members how priorities are shifting in light of new geopolitical developments and to engage with the Polish Presidency of the European Union. Retailers and wholesalers serve consumers and their business customers daily with choice at affordable prices; they are key contributors to local communities and employment. To continue to do this, in light of growing geopolitical pressures, we will need even greater focus on key essentials: ?? Simplify legislation and reduce regulatory complexity #competitiveness ?? work together with decision makers and other stakeholders as partners in the value chain ?? Support a robust #SingleMarket to support #investment; #SingleMarket4All ?? Ensure a level playing field with third country traders selling direct to consumers in the EU #Compliance4All ? Our meeting was an opportunity to enjoy a fantastic visit programme of the old town, the museum of the rising and the vodka museum; around great food and drinks! Above all, it offered precious moments of exchange with our members! ?? Thank you Magdalena Sobkowiak, Ignacy Niemczycki and Joanna Trybus for engaging with us on the Polish Presidency priorities ??Thank you Renata Juszkiewicz and the POHID team for putting together such an amazing programme! ??Thank you Juan Manuel (Juanma) Morales Alonso and our Board members for your support and engagement! ? #Poland25EU #PolskaPrezydencja #StandwithUkraine #Competitiveness #SingleMarket #EuroCommerce #Pohid

????Ahead of celebrating International Women’s Day on 8 March, the European Commission will deliver its roadmap for women’s rights. ??Retail and wholesale is the largest sector for women entrepreneurs by a significant margin. ??62% of retail and wholesale’s workforce are women. ??One in five women entrepreneurs are operating in the sector. Our call to the Commission is to deliver action that will: ?improve awareness and access to financing ?develop mentorship and education for women ?prioritise investment in childcare, enabling working parents to balance their professional and caregiving responsibilities effectively Empowering women in business will contribute to a more competitive Europe. Retailers and wholesalers are working on a wide range of voluntary initiatives to increase women’s participation in the labour market, providing equal opportunities for career advancement, and fostering inclusive work environments. #internationalwomensday #eurocommerce #retail #wholesale #unionofskills #pactforskills #skillspartnership #weltfrauentag Christel Delberghe Leena Whittaker Sara Pernas Paredes Valeryia Despaihne-Chernyak Paraskevi (Evi) Moutsipai Fabiola V. Carla Valeiras álvarez Sarah Hautier Maria Spatioti Els Bedert Rafaella Bezerra Joanna Inglis-Dupont

?? Join us at the 12th Retail Innovation Summit, in partnership with Ecommerce Europe and Forum Europe ?? 10 April 2025 ?? Le Louise Hotel (Brussels, Belgium) This will be a key event to shape the future of retail and e-commerce, where industry leaders, policymakers and NGOs will come together to tackle the sector's challenges and opportunities ? With the participation of Commissioner Michael McGrath, we will cover key topics for the sector, including ? Consumer rules and digital fairness ? Competitive single market ? Sustainability agenda Registration is open now! ?? https://kont.ly/846077df Ilya Bruggeman

?? Join for the launch of our European Textiles’ Global Value Chains Report! Developed by Copenhagen Economics, it explores the complexities of the global supply chain and the opportunities for sustainable innovation ?? 25 March 2025 ?? Brussels, Belgium ?? Learn more about the challenges faced by the textile industry and the efforts being made to maintain Europe at the forefront of the sector ?? Interested in participating? Contact us at [email protected]?

? What do wholesalers actually do? Think about the last time you bought something in a shop, took medicine, or ate at a restaurant. Behind every product, there’s a wholesale operation making it happen. ?? Wholesalers ensure that: ??Hospitals get life-saving medicines on time ??Restaurants receive fresh ingredients every day ?? Construction sites never run out of materials From agriculture to technology, wholesalers connect every sector — but they rarely get the credit they deserve. #appreciatewholesale ?? Let’s change that. Appreciate the invisible giant in your life: https://kont.ly/3f5bdda8 Markant Gruppe Grupo IFA METRO AG BGA EuCER EUEW - European Union of Electrical Wholesalers European Association of Chemical Distributors GIRP - European Healthcare Distribution Association UFEMAT

?? Applications Open for the European Organic Awards 2025! The European Organic Awards are back for their 4th edition, celebrating excellence across the organic food chain! ??? Organised by the European Commission, EESC, CoR, IFOAM Organics Europe, and COPA-COGECA, these awards highlight outstanding projects and businesses that drive innovation and sustainability in organic production. ?? Key Category: Best Organic Food Retailer This category recognises retailers that demonstrate excellence in organic food sales. Applicants must hold organic certification under Regulation (EU) 2018/848. Please note that businesses still in the conversion phase or not 100% organic are not eligible. ?Applications are open until 27 April 2025. ??How to Apply: https://kont.ly/d20e5b36 ?? Instructional video: https://kont.ly/42ee41df ??Practical guide: https://kont.ly/904d2c18 ?? Winners will be announced on 23 September 2025 during the official European Organic Awards ceremony, celebrating EU Organic Day! Don’t miss this opportunity to gain recognition and visibility for your organic business! ?? Learn more and apply today: https://kont.ly/d20e5b36 #OrganicAwards #EUAwards #Sustainability #OrganicRetail #EUOrganic #GreenFuture #Retail #Wholesale #EcoFriendly

?? EuroCommerce at the Digital Euro Conference 2025! The future of money is evolving with CBDCs, stablecoins, and commercial bank money tokens (CBMTs). As central banks explore digital currencies, the financial sector is transforming to integrate public and private money seamlessly. Join us at the Digital Euro Conference 2025 (#DEC25) in Frankfurt on 27 March, where experts, industry leaders, and innovators will discuss the latest trends in digital payments. Atze Faas, Payments Adviser at EuroCommerce, will share insights on the retailer and wholesaler perspective on the digital euro—its potential and the conditions for success. ??Get tickets here! https://kont.ly/aad68a75 #DigitalEuro #DEC25 #Payments #Retail #Wholesale #FutureOfMoney #Finance #Innovation #EuroCommerce

?? Ensuring Compliance in E-Commerce: A Step Towards Fair & Safe Markets The German Federal Government Action Plan on E-Commerce highlights the need for stricter enforcement of EU regulations to ensure fair competition and consumer protection. As online platforms grow, so do challenges related to product safety, customs compliance, and environmental standards. At EuroCommerce, we advocate for clear, enforceable rules that create a level playing field for all businesses while protecting consumers. Our #Compliance4All initiative aligns with this approach, ensuring that regulatory frameworks are effective, transparent, and support a thriving, responsible digital economy. Key focus areas of the Action Plan: ? Strengthening market surveillance and customs controls ? Enforcing the Digital Services Act (DSA) to tackle illegal online sales ? Improving transparency and accountability of e-commerce platforms ? Promoting sustainability and consumer protection through Digital Product Passports ?? Let's work together to make compliance a cornerstone of a fair and competitive e-commerce landscape. ??Read the German Federal Government Action Plan on E-Commerce: https://kont.ly/10bf33af #Compliance4All #ECommerce #FairTrade #ConsumerProtection #DigitalMarkets #Retail #Wholesale #Sustainability #EURegulation #LPF

?? Omnibus sustainability package: simpler rules for a greener future We welcome simpler regulations, more practical reporting requirements, and improved due diligence procedures. Individual businesses, including SMEs, deal with thousands of different products and complex global value chains. Clear, practicable and proportionate reporting and due diligence rules are essential for businesses in the sector. Institutions must ensure legal certainty and clear timelines. Predictability is crucial for companies' preparation and investment in sustainability reporting and due diligence. We urge the European Parliament and the Member States to assess the proposal and reach a timely agreement on the proposed changes. ?? https://lnkd.in/dG_SFxSM #eurocommerce #omnibus #SMEs Els Bedert Nick Dornheim