EU-China Cross-Border E-Commerce

Start Date: May 2022

Principal Investigator: Weili Huang

Co-Investigators: Sebastian Bersick, Mireia Paulo

Overview:

E-commerce in China accounts for more than 50% of worldwide retail sales on the internet. According to the General Administration of Customs P.R.C, in 2020, the total import and export value of cross-border e-commerce reached 2366 hundred million Euro, an increase of 31.1% on a comparable basis. At the same time, China is the largest trading partner of the EU, the EU is the second largest trading partner of China, in 2021, China-EU trade value reached 745300 million Euro. Despite these figures, trade barriers exist, particularly related to digital economy.

This research project aims at conducting empirical research. It explores how different actors’ interests shape the cross-border e-commerce between the EU and China. It will examine certain digital trade barriers such as logistics, technology developments, laws and regulations, payment system, and consumer lack of trust. The project aims at understanding actors’ role and relationships, constraints and strategies for working.