Poland's first-ever European E-Commerce Summit will be held in Warsaw on May 23, 2024. This landmark event will bring together Europe's most important e-commerce leaders and Poland's top decision-makers working in the field of digital economy. Prime Minister Donald Tusk has received an invitation to the Summit. Over a dozen major e-commerce organisations from across Europe have already confirmed their participation in the Warsaw event and will be represented by their leaders. These include representatives hailing from Germany, France, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Spain. The organiser of the summit is the Chamber of Digital Economy. The topics to be discussed by the attendees are outlined below.
Underlining the importance of Poland's first e-commerce summit, the e-Chamber President Patrycja Sass-Staniszewska invited Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Radosław Sikorski - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic of Poland to officially open it. The partner to the event is Ecommerce Europe, an organisation attached to the EC, which will be represented by a delegation including Secretary General Luca Cassetti.
European format and reach
As part of this year’s most important day for European e-commerce, there will be a discussion entitled “The Same Start” on the equal legal and competitive framework for European and Asian e-entrepreneurs. Also on the agenda is the “Cross-border E-Commerce” brunch dedicated to online exports as a force supporting the European economy, which will feature 2 panel discussions. During these, we will take a look at online exporting with a particular focus on support in this respect for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs. The foreign guests will share their experiences showcasing their home markets and identifying the challenges they face.
Online exports boost outcomes
Cross-border e-commerce represents the biggest opportunity for the growth of e-entrepreneurs, regardless of their size and the industry in which they operate. This potential is recognised by an increasing number of Polish retailers who are considering going abroad with their sales or have already done so. The e-Chamber's thematic report entitled “Cross-border E-commerce. A Brand without Borders” shows that in 2023, 60% of stores were involved in cross-border sales, with a further 20% intending to do so in the coming three years. 57% of entrepreneurs stated that they sell to 2-5 markets, while 37% of survey respondents confirmed that they currently distribute their goods to 10 or more markets.[1]
The European E-Commerce Summit to be held in Warsaw is an unprecedented event. The management bodies of Europe's most influential e-commerce organisations will meet in one place. It will put Poland in the spotlight of the entire EU e-commerce - emphasises Patrycja Sass-Staniszewska, President of the e-Chamber - The Summit’s debates will focus on issues which are vital for the development of online trade, as well as the benefits of e-commerce development and the security of shopping for Polish and European consumers.
A driving force for SMBs
The planned brunch under the theme of "Cross-border E-commerce: Exporting Online as an Enhancement of Europe's Digital Economy” will include two panel discussions in which the international visitors to Warsaw will share their experiences and talk about their home markets. In addition, they will identify challenges in the development of online exports with a particular focus on economic support for small and medium-sized enterprises. The international nature of the brunch will guarantee a diverse and multicultural approach to the topic of scaling business in the SME sector. The subject is hugely significant, as the value of online trade in the EU is estimated to increase from 476 billion USD to as much as 530 billion USD in 2024 compared to 2023 [2].
Full-scale impact
The European E-Commerce Summit in Warsaw promises to be a landmark event in the 2024 e-commerce calendar also because it will take place before the European Parliament elections. As a result, it is certain to prepare the ground for future political collaboration in the e-commerce ecosystem.
It should also be pointed out that an event of this scale is also a networking opportunity for visionaries, innovators, and leaders driving e-commerce on a national, European, and global scale. Undoubtedly, any discussions held at the Summit will have an impact on the future of e-commerce in the EU and beyond. Hosting such a significant event in Warsaw is a substantial contribution by the Chamber of the Electronic Economy to the growth of the European digital economy.
[1] https://eizba.pl/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Raport-e-Izby-Cross-border_e-Commerce_Marka_bez_granic_2024_skrot.pdf
[2] https://www.statista.com/forecasts/715663/e-commerce-revenue-forecast-in-europe
