Press Release
11 priorities for the future of European Digital Commerce
14 January 2021
Ecommerce Europe presents today its Priority Paper 2021 aimed at our ambition for taking European Digital Commerce to the next level. Marked by the COVID-19 outbreak, 2020 was an eventful year, which has highlighted the importance of digitalisation across all areas of the economy and society. In these difficult past months, e-commerce has been crucial for the continuation of economic and societal activities in Europe. The e-commerce sector has proven resilient and many businesses have gone through an accelerated digital transformation, leading to changes in consumer behaviour and the development of new seamless commerce solutions, such as digital payment and omnichannel logistics solutions such as contactless click-and-collect. In parallel, the European Commission has reinforced its ambitions for a more digital and greener Europe via the proposed twin transitions in its recovery plan, stating that investment in digital and sustainable infrastructure is required to rebuild a strong European economy.
In the long run, the pandemic is expected to have triggered permanent social and economic changes. However, while the COVID-19 crisis has revealed the strengths of the Single Market, it has also highlighted its weaknesses. Given the increasingly cross-border nature of digital commerce, European businesses have faced barriers to implement new solutions across the Union due to regulatory fragmentation and diverging approaches towards the crisis. Ecommerce Europe’s Secretary General, Luca Cassetti, commented:
“EU policymakers need to adopt a forward-looking approach to allow innovation and stimulate digital and sustainable development. The recent crisis has also strengthened the need to alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens, and companies in Europe need the support of the European Union to be able to compete on an increasingly competitive global market. Therefore, in this priority paper, Ecommerce Europe has identified 11 main priorities on which we will focus for 2021 to strive for a future-proof regulatory framework that will allow the European Digital Commerce Sector to flourish. In addition, Ecommerce Europe will continue advocating for simpler, more harmonised EU rules and better enforcement.”
With the aim to support the creation of a framework for European companies to flourish, Ecommerce Europe has translated its policy focus for the upcoming year into the following 11 main priorities for the European Digital Commerce Sector:
- Seamless shopping: Adopt a channel-neutral approach
- Role of platforms: Safeguard their innovation potential while supporting EU companies
- Globalisation: Restore the level playing field between EU-based and non-EU-based players
- Embrace the opportunities digital commerce offer for a more sustainable economy
- Ensure alignment between ePrivacy and data protection regulations
- Step up efforts for a global solution for the taxation of the fast-digitalising economy
- Facilitate a more harmonised parcel delivery regulatory framework
- Build an innovative and competitive cross-border payment landscape
- Leverage opportunities offered by big data and new technologies
- Provide SMEs financial support and reduce administrative burdens
- Support companies’ digital transformation with more investments in e-skills and infrastructures.
To know more about our priorities, please download our Priority Paper 2021
