Because the European economy has increased by 2.7% last year, companies from around the world are looking for distribution centres in order to expand their cross-border e-commerce. The Walloon government, which has this clearly understood, decided to take the lead and entered into a partnership with AWEX (Wallonia Export – Investment Agency), Liege Airport and Logistics in Wallonia to create the EU-China Logistics Incubator.
The EU-China Logistics Incubator, established at Liege Airport, is the first of its kind in Europe. Its goal is to support companies that wish to do business in Europe. In order to do this, it provides services required by cross-border e-commerce such as access to logistics and transport companies. It also offers free office spaces, mailboxes, trainings to help companies to stimulate their activities, access to appropriate government services and to local partners.
Signed last October, this partnership appointed Liege Airport as the Incubator’s base. According to Franck Toussaint, the AWEX's transport and logistics expert, the region of Liege has the best transport infrastructures and the lowest land, warehouse and labour costs. Moreover, the region enjoys a strategic position in Europe, at the heart of the triangle formed by Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Paris.
As for China, it’s the Guangdong region that is highlighted for financial support. It has been considered as the Chinese exports hub for hundreds of years. Nowadays it is regarded as the manufacturing centre of many Chinese companies.
