Online trading • Table.Briefings

April 19th, 2026

E-commerce platforms: Crackdown on uncertified ghost kitchens

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation has imposed fines on seven e-commerce platforms for allowing uncertified ghost kitchens to operate.

By Angela Köckritz

Talk of the Town | E-Commerce

April 6th, 2026

E-commerce: What China’s new guidelines mean for Europe

China is giving its booming online retail sector a new strategic direction. New guidelines shift the focus from pure growth to quality and global integration, with political steering at the center.

By Amelie Richter

News | JD.com

March 30th, 2026

JD.com: Ceconomy takeover in Austria must be refiled

JD.com must resubmit its planned takeover of Ceconomy in Austria. The Chinese tech group is responding to regulatory hurdles and says it will file the application again in the coming weeks.

By Fabian Peltsch

Sales: a person browses special offers during the sales period. A young woman lying on a sofa under a blanket looks at an online store on her laptop, e-commerce platform Shein, fast fashion

News | Shein

March 19th, 2026

Online retail: Shein avoids a ban in France

After a scandal involving unlawful products, the French government sought to block the platform. Now an appeals court has upheld a December ruling – effectively a win for Shein.

By Manuel Liu

Holger Bingmann (li) ist ICC Germany-Präsident und Oliver Wieck (re) ist Generalsekretär der Internationalen Handelskammer (ICC) Deutschland.

Opinion | Trade

March 18th, 2026

The WTO at a crossroads: Reform or lose relevance?

The WTO rules are under pressure from geopolitical tensions and new trade instruments. The upcoming Ministerial Conference will be a crucial test for the future of the multilateral trading system.

By Holger Bingmann and Oliver Wiek

News | E-Commerce

March 3rd, 2026

BEVH: Association sees strong e-commerce potential in East Africa

The online retail industry association BEVH sees significant growth potential for digital commerce in East Africa. However, major hurdles remain to establishing a truly regional market.

By David Renke

News | Customs

January 29th, 2026

European Union customs authority: Nine cities present their headquarters candidacy

Nine European cities would like to host the new EU customs authority and have courted the favor of the European Parliament. Meanwhile, the Council and Parliament are still struggling to find a decision-making mechanism

By János Allenbach-Ammann

Talk of the Town | Online trading

January 7th, 2026

E-commerce: How Beijing is closing tax loopholes

Chinese authorities have tightened the rules for e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba and JD.com. Sellers are now required to report detailed revenue and profit data. The objective is clear: stabilize tax revenues and curb tax avoidance. Smaller merchants and those operating internationally are coming under particular pressure.

By Jörn Petring

Die dänische Wirtschaftsministerin Stephanie Lose

News | E-Commerce

November 14th, 2025

Customs reform: Exemption limit to come as early as 2026 thanks to temporary solution

The EU finance ministers agreed in Brussels to abolish the duty-free limit of EUR 150. A technical solution for introducing a fee on low-value parcels is to be provided as early as 2026.

By János Allenbach-Ammann

Feature | Law

September 29th, 2025

Unfair competition: New law brings higher compliance requirements

From mid-October, a new version of the law against unfair competition will apply to companies with links to China. This entails higher compliance requirements, including in the areas of e-commerce, platform contracts and marketing.

By Julia Fiedler