As we return from the holiday season and step into the new year, now is a good moment to look back on a year of intense activity, marked by immense challenges and changes for Europe. 

Despite these pressures, we’ve made significant progress, thanks to exceptional teamwork, dedication, and resilience!
Over the past 12 months, we have:

  • Engaged with CEOs and Commissioners on key issues affecting our sector, including competitiveness, regulation of payment terms, non-financial reporting, the Digital Euro, payments, consumer policy, sustainability, and the agri-food supply chain.
  • Published our manifesto for the new European Parliament and Commission; supported a joint delegation of members to introduce the sector in the European parliament and organised two company visits with the Commission. 
  • Hosted company visits to illustrate how EU legislation impacts our sector and showcase good practice; thank you Bertrand Tison and Hendrik Jan van Oostrum and your teams Decathlon and Ahold Delhaize for hosting these!
  • Launched a Europe-wide campaign to support a level playing field #Compliance4All, supported members through intense regulatory challenges and obtained a 12-month delay for the deforestation regulation implementation. 
  • Contributed to the Strategic Dialogue on the future of EU agriculture, an impressive and valuable experience from both a personal and professional standpoint!

A very warm thank you to our president Juan Manuel (Juanma) Morales Alonso for your unwavering support, to our Vice Presidents, Board and all our members who guide us and work with us daily, to our external partners who help us reflect on and document our sector’s current and future challenges, and our stakeholders for engaging with us!

With a new European Commission now in office and new priorities being set for 2024-2029—focused on competitiveness, regulatory simplification, innovation, decarbonisation, and security—we are gearing up for an exciting year ahead!

As we step into 2025, let’s raise a toast to making Europe #StrongerTogether! Wishing everyone a successful and inspiring year ahead—looking forward to continued collaboration!

Christel Delberghe, Director General & EuroCommerce Team