Gero Furchheim replaces the Dutchman Wijnand Jongen as President of Ecommerce Europe. In the future, the industry expert will represent the interests of both German and European e-commerce companies in his two offices. He has set himself clear goals: “I would like to dedicate my term of office to the goal of driving forward the completion of the European internal market. There is still enormous growth and innovation potential hidden here. I want to ensure that small and medium-sized companies in particular can take advantage of the opportunities that a united Europe promises them. To do this, we need a Europe that applies its rules effectively and ensures a level playing field.” A strong association that actively expands and deepens its network must build bridges between the EU and the national levels and cooperate with associations, companies and political actors keep an eye on it, says Furchheim.
According to the industry association BEVH, small and medium-sized companies form the backbone of European e-commerce and share an ecosystem with large providers and platforms. Furchheim, who sits on the board of Cairo AG, a medium-sized German trading company that sells across borders, wants to bring this entrepreneurial perspective into political discussions and advocate for those whose interests often go unheard. According to BEVH, three points are particularly important:
1. Europe is not powerless against foul play by platforms from third countries. What is needed is not more laws, but rather enforcement to guarantee fair competition.
2. Instead of European unity, each of the 27 EU countries is creating its own bureaucratic hurdles. Smaller retailers in particular often miss out on the opportunities that the internal market offers them. That’s why we have to create a level playing field within the EU.
3. Consumers want to move smoothly between digital and analogue channels when shopping. The same rules should therefore apply to e-commerce and stationary retail. It must not be the case that the legislature discriminates against sales channels.
“The election of Gero Furchheim is great news for the industry. His extensive experience in political public relations, as an entrepreneur in e-commerce and in association leadership, especially as President of BEVH over the past ten years, will be a valuable asset that will take Ecommerce Europe to new heights. I look forward to working closely with him and, together with the support of the Brussels Secretariat, representing the interests of our industry, which actively and significantly contributes to the development of the European economy,” explains Luca Cassetti, Secretary General of Ecommerce Europe.
