The EFC field notes

Business development

Every field note on this topic, newest first.

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September 2026

  1. Business development 7 min read How Spanish retail and distribution buy How Spain's grocery, department-store and pharmacy channels buy, what the agency law says, and which trade fairs fall in 2027 and 2028.
  2. Market access and IOR 7 min read Importer or distributor: who holds EU stock? Who is the importer when a European distributor buys from a manufacturer outside the EU, who owes duty and import VAT, and who carries the GPSR duties.
  3. Business development 10 min read How European retail chains buy Retail chains buy on a calendar, not on request. How range reviews, annual negotiations and buying groups work in Europe, and when to approach.
  4. Business development 10 min read What European distributors ask before signing What a European distributor checks before taking on a brand from outside the EU: stock, lead time, labels, the GPSR operator, barcodes, returns and margin.
  5. Business development 9 min read Private label in Europe: winning retailer deals Store brands hold 38.8 percent of grocery sales in 17 European markets. How own-brand tenders, audits and the PLMA show work for manufacturers.
  6. Business development 9 min read European trade fairs for manufacturers The European trade fairs that matter for food, beauty, medtech, industrial and consumer goods makers, with dates, and how to book buyer meetings.
  7. Business development 8 min read Commercial agent, or a managed route? What Directive 86/653/EEC gives a commercial agent when the contract ends, how it differs from a distributor, and the routes manufacturers use instead.
  8. Business development 6 min read How a European distributor search runs How to find a distributor in Europe: map who sells the category, rate each candidate on evidence, name the buyer, and write an approach that gets read.

August 2026

  1. Business development 10 min read One European market first, or all at once? The EU is one market with 27 buying cultures. How to pick a lead market, and what changes by country: language, retail concentration, payment terms.
  2. Business development 8 min read Selling to EU hospitals through public tenders How EU public tenders work for manufacturers from outside the EU: Directive 2014/24/EU, the 2026-2027 thresholds, GPA access, and the medical device rules.
  3. VAT and OSS 9 min read Zero-rated B2B sales from stock in Portugal When a sale from Portuguese stock to a business in another EU country is exempt: the 2020 conditions, what goes wrong, and where OSS applies.