The German Retail Federation (HDE) has introduced a request for an import ban on goods from Chinese online retailers. In a dispatch signed by HDE president Alexander von Preen and chief executive officer Stefan Genth to Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the federation argues that the current situation is untenable. Local merchants are stifled by excessive bureaucracy and compliance demands, while players such as Temu or Shein flood the market with cheap-and in some cases unsafe-products that repeatedly sidestep European standards. “If these platforms systematically ignore safety and environmental standards, the ultimate remedy must be to halt their imports. Those who do not adhere to the rules should not be permitted to operate in our market” the letter states.
The HDE hopes that Chancellor Merz will address the issue at the informal EU summit on 12 February, aiming to reduce the competitive disadvantages faced by domestic businesses. The federation points to the sector’s poor growth figures, stating, “We can no longer afford this zero growth. We need a real breakthrough”. It claims that the current environment is draining companies of their substance.
Additionally, the federation calls for a stop to the EU deforestation regulation. It alleges that the directive imposes “enormous additional bureaucratic burdens and uncalculable liability risks”. The letter concludes that the regulation is not amendable and must be removed from consideration, stating, “It must be taken off the table”.