German Retail Foreign Trade Association

The German Retail Foreign Trade Association (German: Außenhandelsvereinigung des Deutschen Einzelhandels e.V., abbreviated AVE) is the umbrella organisation of importing retailers in Germany. Founded in 1952 in Cologne and headquartered in Berlin since 2015, it represents the foreign-trade interests of German retail, which depends on the smooth import of consumer goods of all kinds as part of its global sourcing policies. Beyond trade policy, the association works to promote social and environmental standards in international supply chains and in supplier countries. AVE's membership includes internationally active German retail companies with combined annual turnover of roughly 230 billion euros, many of them market leaders in their sectors that also set standards in corporate governance and sustainability. In addition, associations from the retail, SME and textile sectors are members. The association is managed by the Handelsverband Deutschland (HDE), which took over its management in September 2017; the operational management consists of Stefan Genth (HDE chief executive) and Stephan Tromp (HDE deputy chief executive). The president is Tobias Wollermann, head of the Corporate Responsibility directorate at Otto Group, in office since 2021, supported by a presidium including Thomas Glanzer (Schwarz Corporate Solutions) and Michael Reidick (C&A Group). As the voice of importing retail in Germany on trade-policy questions as well as customs and foreign-trade law, AVE represents sector interests at national policy level vis-à-vis the Federal Government and the Bundestag. It maintains close contacts in particular with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Federal Foreign Office (AA). It is also a sponsoring association of the Ost-Ausschuss der Deutschen Wirtschaft (Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations) and contributes its expertise on import promotion to the advisory board of the Import Promotion Desk (IPD). AVE is active in various committees and participates in the European policy work of the Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA). AVE's core themes are trade and customs policy and social and ecological responsibility in the international supply chain. It advocates a liberal trade policy for Germany and the European Union, rejects tariff and non-tariff trade barriers and promotes efforts to expand liberal world trade. It emphasises the economic importance of imports as a guarantor of high purchasing power and favourable price levels in Germany and as a foundation of prosperity, also in supplier countries. On sustainability, AVE founded the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) in 2003, a retail-sector initiative to improve social standards in global supply chains. It is also a member of the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles founded in 2014, a partnership of around 150 companies, associations, non-governmental organisations, trade unions and standard organisations together with the German Federal Government, and an active member of the cads quality community. AVE's services for members include concrete and effective support at all levels: practical problem-solving in customs difficulties, legal assistance and policy advice. Through its large network it keeps members informed early, regularly and comprehensively about the latest foreign-trade developments, notably through AVE circulars. Preventive advice on all questions of customs clearance and support in foreign-trade law matters are part of the service offering, as is individual support in conflict cases through intervention with authorities or political decision-makers.

The Außenhandelsvereinigung des Deutschen Einzelhandels e.V. (AVE) was founded in 1952 in Cologne as the umbrella organisation of importing retailers in Germany. From its beginnings it represented the foreign-trade interests of German retail, which relies on the smooth import of consumer goods of all kinds as part of its worldwide sourcing policies. In 2003 AVE founded the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI), a retail-sector initiative to improve social standards in global supply chains. In 2014 the association became a member of the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, a partnership of around 150 companies, associations, non-governmental organisations, trade unions and standard organisations together with the German Federal Government, formed to drive improvements along global value chains in the textile industry. In 2015 AVE moved its headquarters from Cologne to Berlin. In September 2017 the Handelsverband Deutschland (HDE) took over the management of AVE; the cooperation between the two associations aimed to enable even more effective representation of the sector on foreign-trade and trade-policy topics and to bundle activities for achieving sustainable supply chains. In 2021 Tobias Wollermann, head of the Corporate Responsibility directorate at Otto Group, became president. AVE is also an active member of the cads quality community and a sponsoring association of the Ost-Ausschuss der Deutschen Wirtschaft, and contributes expertise on import promotion to the advisory board of the Import Promotion Desk (IPD).

• 2021

  Tobias Wollermann (Otto Group) became president of AVE.

• 2017

  Handelsverband Deutschland (HDE) took over the management of AVE in September.

• 2015

  AVE moved its headquarters from Cologne to Berlin.

• 2014

  AVE joined the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, a multi-stakeholder initiative with around 150 members and the German Federal Government.

• 2003

  AVE founded the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) to improve social standards in global supply chains.

• 1952

  AVE founded in Cologne as the umbrella organisation of importing German retailers.

Umbrella organisation and political voice of importing German retailers, advocating liberal trade policy and sustainable supply chains.

• AVE circulars (Rundschreiben)

  Regular member information preparing all relevant foreign-trade developments so companies can adapt in time.

• Customs and foreign trade law advice

  Preventive advice on customs clearance and support in foreign-trade law questions.

• Intervention and representation

  Individual support in conflict cases through intervention with authorities or political decision-makers.

1. 1AVE: Startave-international.de
2. 2AVE: Servicesave-international.de
3. 3German Retail Foreign Trade Association – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Außenhandelsvereinigung des Deutschen Einzelhandels – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org