The German industry association HDE has pushed for a ban on imports of goods from Chinese online retailers. In a letter addressed to Chancellor Friedrich Merz, HDE president Alexander von Preen and chief executive Stefan Genth describe the situation as untenable: domestic sellers are choking under bureaucracy and compliance demands while platforms such as Temu and Shein flood the market with cheap, sometimes hazardous products that systematically eschew European standards. They argue that if these entities continue to ignore safety and environmental regulations, the only last‑resort solution is to halt their imports; those who do not adhere to the rules should be prohibited from trading in the German market.
The letter calls on Merz to use the informal EU summit on 12 February to reduce competitive disadvantages for German businesses. HDE points to the industry’s stagnant growth, noting that “zero growth is no longer acceptable” and a genuine turnaround is urgently needed. They claim that current conditions erode the foundation of the sector.
Additionally, the association demands the cessation of the EU deforestation regulation, arguing it imposes “enormous additional bureaucratic burdens and uncalculable liability risks”. HDE states that the regulation cannot be reformed and must be removed from the agenda altogether. The letter was reported by newspapers of the Redaktionsnetzwerk Germany.
