Speaking at a press conference held at the European Parliament Office in Athens on Wednesday President of the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ESEE), and Christel Delberghe, Director General of EuroCommerce, called for immediate and decisive action from the European Union to level the playing field and curb what they describe as a wave of unfair competition.
According to a recent ESEE study presented at the event, the penetration of Asian e-commerce giants—particularly Chinese platforms—into the Greek market has reached a critical point. In 2024 alone, these platforms generated an estimated €529 million to €627 million in sales within Greece, accounting for nearly 18% to 21% of the country’s total e-commerce market. The fiscal impact has been equally significant, with Greece suffering an estimated loss of up to €204 million in tax revenues, customs duties, social security contributions, and lost investment and employment. These figures, the study notes, represent roughly three times the amount collected from flat-rate taxation on domestic retailers.
ESEE and EuroCommerce argue that this rapid expansion has been facilitated by regulatory loopholes in the EU’s own system—most notably the de minimis rule, which exempts low-value parcels under €150 from customs duties. This exemption, they argue, allows an unchecked flow of inexpensive, often non-compliant and low-quality goods to flood EU markets duty-free, while European businesses are required to comply with strict regulations and bear the full cost of enforcement.
Mr. Kafounis stressed that the goal is not to close Europe’s markets to international trade, but rather to end the unfair advantages enjoyed by foreign sellers. “One in every five euros spent on e-commerce in Greece ends up with two Chinese giants. The European Union has unwittingly allowed a strategic takeover of our markets to unfold. We need a strong enforcement mechanism, mandatory compliance, and shared responsibility across the board. The Single Market cannot function under a double standard,” he said. He also criticized the European Commission’s proposed three-year timeline for regulatory reform, warning that thousands of European businesses—and the jobs they sustain—may not survive that long.
Christel Delberghe echoed these concerns, calling the situation an existential challenge for the European retail sector. She pointed out that many products sold via Asian platforms are unsafe, non-compliant with EU standards, and often marketed in misleading ways. Meanwhile, violations of intellectual property rights, tax evasion, and unauthorized data processing are widespread, contributing to a structural imbalance that disadvantages European companies.
Delberghe emphasized that EU authorities are constrained by jurisdictional limits, while large foreign platforms operate with near impunity. “European retailers are playing by the rules and paying the costs, while their competitors abroad continue to grow unchecked. Without fast and coordinated action, we risk undermining our own businesses and compromising consumer safety across the continent,” she warned.
She also commended the proactive role of ESEE, noting that for the first time, a thoroughly documented effort to confront the growing dominance of Asian e-commerce platforms is being spearheaded from Greece. This, she said, represents an important step toward building a cohesive and effective European response to one of the most pressing challenges facing digital commerce today.
