The challenges of the retail trade were the focus of the event organised by Dimitris Tsiodras in Brussels in collaboration with Kosta Gerardos, President of the Committee of Greek Retail Businesses.

The objective of the event was to highlight the challenges facing businesses in the retail trade and especially to address the unmanageable imports of millions of packages of dangerous and counterfeit products on the European market via online platforms established in third countries.

The event was opened by the MEP and spokesperson Dimitris Tsiodras and Costas Gerardos, the New Democracy Eurogroup Chairman of the SLEA.

In his intervention, Dimitris Tsiodras referred to the particular importance of the retail sector for the Greek and European economy. He referred to the initiatives he has already taken, such as interventions and written questions to the Commission, and stressed the need to establish a strict framework to deal effectively with the import and circulation of products that do not meet European standards on the European market, to the benefit of European consumers and businesses.

In his intervention, Costas Gerardos analyzed the challenges that the retail sector is facing, specifically the impact of Asian platforms on Greek businesses, while making specific proposals for finding solutions to these issues.

Dirk Gottink MP, European Parliament rapporteur on the review of European legislation on tariffs, reported on the progress of the negotiations between the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, and in particular the timetable for the abolition of the exemption from payment of customs duties for packages worth less than €150and the adoption of a transitionalsolutionto impose terminalduties on such goods as soon as possible,by 2026.

Charlotte Merlier, a representative from the Office of the European Commissioner responsible for Trade and Economic Security, Maros Šefčović, and Joana Zavistowska, from the Commission’s Retail Unit, presented the European Commission’s policies to address barriers to the single market, such as the Strategy for the completion of the Single Market and the Omnibus package of measures for the simplification of the regulatory framework and address bureaucracy.

The General Managers of two major European trade associations, Christelle Delbergue of Eurocommerce and Else Hrun of Independent Retail Europe, submitted their proposals to enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of the industry.

In his video message, Ambassador Ioannis Vrailas, Permanent Representative of Greece to the EU, referred to the need to adopt a coherent strategy for retail businesses to reap the benefits of digital transformation, making investments in infrastructure in their sector and enhancing the interface between production and retail distribution.

During the discussion between Members of the SEC with European officials and stakeholders, they emphasized the existing legislative gaps and the need to take indirect initiative from the European Institutions to create a stable institutional framework for the benefit of the industry and to ensure a level playing field for European businesses.

The attendees at the event were the MEPs Porthe NDP Frentis Beleris, the PASOK deputy Sakis Arnaoutoglou, and the Cypriot MEP of the Democratic Rally, Loukas Fourlas.