Recently completed ecommerce4all.eu – the first regional e-commerce platform that represents an e-commerce information center in CEFTA. The platform was developed by the Macedonian E-commerce Association – AETM, as the lead implementer of the platform, in cooperation with Albanian E-commerce Asosciation and other e-commerce associations in the region. The purpose of this web platform, which is free for all and has an informative and educational character, is to increase the competitiveness of cross-border e-commerce businesses in the CEFTA markets (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova, North Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo*).
According to information in the 5th edition of the research paper “TOP 500 cross-border retailers in Europe”, issued in March 2023, cross-border e-commerce in Europe was worth 179.4 billion euros in 2022, representing a growth of 4.8 % compared to the previous year. European online stores achieved a record high turnover of 105.5 billion euros with cross-border sales, an increase of 5.5% compared to 2021.
The development of cross-border e-commerce in the CEFTA region is one of the priorities of EU and the governments in the region, and at the same time a big challenge for companies that want to expand their business to other markets with e-commerce, i.e. online sales. Until now there has not been a single place where companies can be informed about all aspects related to e-commerce in other markets and mainly the possibilities of cross-border e-commerce.
The web platform, which is the first of its kind, is a unique resource and educational center that contains important information in one place on all the key aspects of starting and running an e-commerce business, structured in 5 modules – e-commerce data, regulation in e-commerce, e-payment, delivery and success stories from the region. Each of these modules contains relevant information specific to a particular CEFTA market, as well as tutorials, manuals, subject-related documents and video presentations available in both English and the local languages of each of these markets.
On the web platform, users can find out how to start an e-commerce business in a few simple steps, what is the process of an online transaction and who participates in it, how safe are online transactions, what are the online consumer protection rights in each of these markets, which postal operators are available in each CEFTA market, what are the procedures for importing and exporting e-commerce products, which are e-commerce success stories for each CEFTA market and many other information and resources.
Valer Pinderi president of AECA tells about this project that this is the first step for further collaboration between our region. Is the first common project for our associations and the energy also the impact is on the right path for much more further collaboration.
The development of the platform “Ecommerce4All” is supported by the Open Regional Fund for Southeast Europe – Foreign Trade, commissioned by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The Fund aims at improving the implementation of the reform agenda for trade and competitiveness in the CEFTA economies in line with the requirements of the EU approximation process.
Learn more about e-commerce in the region at the following link: ecommerce4all.eu
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