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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
