WESTERN EUROPE

Nordic Countries Urge Development of Circular Value Chain for Electronic Products

15 August 2019

On 5 August 2019, the Nordic Council of Ministers released a report entitled “Designing plastics circulation – electrical and electronic products”. The purpose of the report is to drive the electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) sector towards a circular economy. This can be done, it states, by encouraging companies to take on board circular design principles, improve material markings and identifications and by introducing legislation. More

hktdc research

Spanish Clothing Giant Commits to Environmentally Sustainable Fibres, As Textiles are Prioritised for the Circular Economy

09 August 2019

Spanish retail giant Inditex, best known for its brand Zara which accounts for 70% of the group’s sales, recently announced concrete initiatives within the framework of its commitment to ethical and sustainable fashion. The initiative comes at a time when green schemes are a trend within the fashion industry and when the European Commission has announced its intention to focus on textiles as a priority product category within the circular economy. More

hktdc research

Germany Examines Challenges of E-commerce with Regard to Environment and Consumer Protection

07 August 2019

Earlier this summer, the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection and the Federal Ministry for the Environment jointly organised a conference in Berlin to discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by e-commerce. More

hktdc research

New Commission President Vows to Put Environment First: Carbon Tariffs on Imports a Likelihood

01 August 2019

On 16 July 2019, Ursula von der Leyen was elected as the first female president of the European Commission. She won the support of 383 members of the European Parliament, by promising a European ‘Green Deal’ and focusing on the environment. More

hktdc research

Controversial French Tax to Be Imposed on Tech Giants; France Faces US Retaliation

30 July 2019

On 24 July 2019, France’s President Macron signed into law a 3 percent tax on large tech companies' local revenues. The law was published in the country’s official gazette on 25 July. Tech giants will thus have to pay higher amounts of tax in France when doing business there, and not in the countries in which their headquarters are located. More

hktdc research

French Government Proposes Anti-waste and Circular Economy Law Covering Numerous Consumer Goods

26 July 2019

On 10 July 2019, the French Government presented an ambitious proposal for an “anti-waste” and circular economy law (the Law Proposal) to France’s Council of Ministers. The Law Proposal is divided into four sections, which are titled “Information to Consumers”, “Fight against Waste”, “Responsibilities of Producers” and “Miscellaneous Provisions”. More

market spotlight

Bold buys vote of confidence in toy retailers

03 July 2019

The global toy retail market continues to find itself in a protracted period of change and reinvention, with many vendors struggling to stay abreast of the frequent changes to consumer behaviour. More

hktdc research

Brexit and Your Business: Dodging the Pitfalls

12 June 2019

Uncertainty over the UK’s departure from the EU is growing, with the risk of a damaging disorderly Brexit higher than ever. Hong Kong traders with operations in both the UK and EU markets will be aware that the UK crashing out of the EU could result in significant supply chain disruptions. The Q&As below are designed to help Hong Kong traders take necessary precautionary measures in the event of either an orderly or a hard Brexit. More

market spotlight

Choking pollution inspires innovative mask

11 June 2019

Key prerequisites for a start-up include a strong partnership and a fresh perspective; the founders of innovative pollution-screening mask maker Boutique R-PUR are fine examples of this. More

life & style

Anyone for gin?

31 May 2019

Refined with plant material from Stuttgart and mineral water from Cannstatt, German artisanal gin brand Ginstr has already established itself as one of the spirits industry’s rising stars, having won a gold medal at the World Spirits Award 2018 and the Gin and Tonic Trophy, where 400 jurors voted it the best gin to accompany a tonic over more than 600 other brands at the International World Spirits Competition (IWSC) last year. More

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