Ecommerce Europe Annual Conference: “Shaping the future of digital commerce

by Antonio W. Romero

Every year Ecommerce Europe organises a full day of conference as part of the Global E-Commerce Summit. It is the must-attend conference for businesses, European policy makers and other stakeholders eager to learn more about the most important developments and policy landscape in cross-border e-commerce and omnichannel retail. Businesses have the opportunity to have a direct say in the shaping of rules and regulations that will determine their success or failure in the future. 

With around 350 visitor this year, the Conference was oriented around three key themes: e-Regulations dealing with geoblocking and online platforms, e-Payments where the questions of security and innovative solutions were raised, and e-Logistics with a focus on standardization and sustainability.

Ecommerce Europe is proud to have had two of the largest players in cross-border e-commerce present the day’s keynote speeches: global food-delivery multinational JustEat and Spanish Clothes giant Desigual. In their speeches, Juan Carlos Exposito, Marketing Manager for JustEat Spain and Elena Cusi Costa, Global Director of Ecommerce gave attendees an overview of the challenges even large pure players and omnichannel retailers face in e-commerce. 

To succeed digitally, the high-level speakers stressed to the present online merchants the importance for online retailers of focusing on a smooth and customer-centric experience. However, the speakers also addressed the multitude of challenges in regulation, taxation, payments and logistics a cross-border business model brought with it. In their welcoming and opening speeches, François Momboisse, President of Ecommerce Europe, and Marlene ten Ham, the organisation’s Secretary General, stressed Ecommerce Europe’s position in filling this information gap between legislators and online retailers.

e-Regulation: geoblocking and online platforms

One of the sessions of the day focused on the geoblocking phenomenon and the role of online platforms in the online sales sector. Overall, retailers declared to be pleased that there will not be an obligation to deliver in all EU Member States. Also the audience pointed to the fact that more clarification on the applicable law and on when traders are able to apply different prices is needed. The proposal might also be seen as an opportunity to finally clarify the confusing difference between active and passive sales.

e-Payments: disruption and security

During the sessions on e-Payments, the day’s speakers and panelists first addressed how PSD 2 and new and upcoming payment solutions can disrupt the online payments sector. Later, the focus lay on payment security and on how to ensure customers’ trust in e-commerce, tackling online fraud and methods of electronic identification.

e-Logistics: standardisation, innovation and sustainability

For its discussion on e-Logistics, Ecommerce Europe brought together a wide variety of business leaders, online merchants, European policy makers and other stakeholders to discuss how to achieve consumer-focused standardization and harmonisation in modern cross-border parcel delivery, as well as the challenge of encouraging innovative and sustainable solutions.

Alongside the Annual Conference, the Global Ecommerce Round Table is organised as an initiative of Ecommerce Europe and the Ecommerce Foundation, in which executives from national e-commerce associations worldwide discuss how to unlock the potential of global cross-border e-commerce. This high-level round table is by invitation only. 

Next year’s edition will take place in Barcelona in June 2017

More information on www.ecommerce-europe.eu