Ecommerce Europe elects Gero Furchheim as its new President

Today, the Board of Directors of Ecommerce Europe elected Gero Furchheim, from the German association bevh, as its new President. Furchheim succeeds his predecessor, Wijnand Jongen.

“A strong association that actively expands and deepens its network must build bridges between the EU and national levels, while fostering collaboration with associations, businesses, and political stakeholders. As committed European, I am very much looking forward to fulfilling my role of President of Ecommerce Europe, the united voice of the European Digital Commerce sector,” declared Gero Furchheim upon his appointment.

“The election of Gero Furchheim is great news for the sector. His vast experience in public affairs, e-commerce businesses and association leadership, in particular as President of bevh for the past 10 years, will be a great asset that will bring Ecommerce Europe to new heights during his mandate. I look forward to closely working with him and, with the support of the Brussels Secretariat, represent the interests of a sector that actively and greatly contributes to the development of the European economy,” declared Luca Cassetti, Secretary General of Ecommerce Europe.

An e-commerce ecosystem that works for everyone

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of European e-commerce, forming part of a larger ecosystem alongside major market players and platforms. Furchheim, Board member of Cairo AG (cairo.de), a medium-sized German design furniture retailer that sells cross-border, aims to bring this entrepreneurial perspective into political discussions and advocate for those whose interests are often overlooked. His priorities focus on three key areas:

1. Europe is not powerless against the unfair practices of non-EU based players. The European Union adopted several laws that, if applied properly and effectively, they could level the playing field between EU-based and non-EU based players. The challenge is poor enforcement of EU rules.

1. Instead of European unity, each of the 27 EU countries is building its own bureaucratic hurdles. As a result, many retailers, especially smaller ones, shy away from taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the Single Market. That is why we must create a truly harmonised EU Single Market, fit for the future of retail and the retail of the future.

1. Consumers want a seamless shopping experience between online and offline channels, which are complementary, and therefore should be treated equally from a regulatory perspective to ensure the further development of omnichannel solutions by companies.

“I want to dedicate my term to advancing the completion of the European Single Market. There is still an enormous untapped potential for growth and innovation. We must make sure that all players, and in particular small and medium-sized businesses, can harness the opportunities that a united Europe promises. To achieve this, we need a Europe that enforces its laws effectively and ensures fair competition,” Furchheim emphasised.

Gero Furchheim expresses his gratitude to the outgoing President of Ecommerce Europe, for all his years of dedication and hard work for the association. He added: “With the support of Wijnand Jongen, Ecommerce Europe became the united voice for digital commerce in Europe, actively contributing to the successful merger with EMOTA back in January 2020”.

***END***