The European Direct Selling Association outlines key priorities for the 2024-2029 EU legislative term
By David Bland
“We’re trying to use this new legislative cycle to advocate for reducing the legislative and administrative burdens on entrepreneurs.”—Imelda Vital, Executive Director, SELDIA
The European Direct Selling Association, SELDIA, has released a focused manifesto outlining its vision and recommendations for the direct selling sector in the European Union (EU) from 2024 to 2029. Known as the EU legislative term or mandate, this period represents the five-year cycle during which newly elected members of the European Parliament and appointed Commissioners set the EU’s policy agenda. The document is aimed at the incoming EU legislators and emphasizes three key priorities: improved enforcement and harmonization, support for microentrepreneurs, and recognition of entrepreneurial skills.
Founded in 1968, SELDIA represents 25 national associations, 12 companies and 12 service providers, advocating for 5.3 million European entrepreneurs in the direct selling channel. The organization’s manifesto comes at a crucial time, coinciding with recent European Parliament elections and the anticipated appointment of a new European Commission.
Imelda Vital, executive director of SELDIA, explains the timing of the manifesto. “It’s prompted by the legislative cycle, very simply put. Back in June, there were elections of the European Parliament. There will be a new Commission sometime between November and Christmas. These are the new legislators for the coming five years.”
Harmonization and Enforcement: A Level Playing Field
A primary focus of SELDIA’s recommendations is the need for better enforcement and harmonization of consumer protection laws across EU member states. The organization argues that inconsistent application of regulations creates an unpredictable business environment and unfair advantages for non-compliant businesses.
“The key regulations that govern direct selling are consumer protection legislation,” Vital notes. “These legislations are pretty comprehensive, but they are not necessarily implemented and enforced by the different Member States in the same way.”
To address such challenges, SELDIA proposes several measures:
- Establish clear, uniform standards for consumer protection enforcement across all member states.
- Promote consumer education and awareness.
- Provide regulatory bodies with stronger investigative tools and penalties for violations.
- Allocate additional resources to national regulatory bodies and the European Commission.
- Encourage cross-border collaboration among member states to share best practices and conduct joint enforcement actions.
Vital emphasizes the importance of harmonization for businesses, noting that it would create a more predictable and equitable operating environment across the EU. She explains that consistent enforcement of regulations would benefit companies by eliminating disparities between member states. “It means that they will have a true level playing field, and will have the same rules applied identically in all countries, which, for the moment, is not always the case.”
Supporting Microentrepreneurs in a Changing Economy
SELDIA’s manifesto also highlights the need for a more supportive ecosystem for microentrepreneurs, particularly in the direct selling sector. The organization defines microentrepreneurs as one-person enterprises or self-employed individuals who sustain themselves and their families through their work.
“We are trying to use the opportunity of this new legislative cycle to push for reducing legislative burden and administrative burden on entrepreneurs, which, again, in some European countries, can be very strong and very heavy,” Vital says.
The manifesto calls for several initiatives to support small-scale entrepreneurs:
- Establish clear legal frameworks that recognize the unique nature of microentrepreneurship.
- Facilitate dialogue among stakeholders to identify and address barriers to microentrepreneurship.
- Streamline regulatory processes and reduce bureaucratic hurdles.
- Advocate for programs offering financing, grants, training and mentorship to microentrepreneurs.
Recognizing and Promoting Entrepreneurial Skills
The third key priority in SELDIA’s manifesto focuses on recognizing and promoting the soft skills developed through direct selling. The organization argues that such skills are valuable assets for individuals and the broader economy, particularly in light of changing workplace dynamics.
“Skilling is one of the key priorities of EU legislators. There is a recognition that the workplace is changing and that people will have to adapt to more than a career and more than a job type over their years of work. This explains the need for upskilling and reskilling people throughout their work life,” Vital says.
The SELDIA manifesto emphasizes that direct selling companies naturally provide training in valuable soft skills, including:
- Product knowledge
- Customer communication and relationship management
- Time management and agenda organization
- Presentation and public-speaking skills
- Basic business management
The organization is advocating for formal recognition of these skills at both the national and EU level. Vital elaborates on the challenge of gaining recognition for these skills. “How do you make sure that you have that recognition? Direct selling associations in Europe are talking to education providers, whether universities or even ministers, to try to come to an agreement for that recognition,” she says.
Looking Ahead: The Political Landscape for Direct Selling
As the EU prepares for a new legislative cycle, SELDIA is cautiously optimistic about the future of direct selling in Europe. Vital notes that while direct selling is not a specific target of regulators, the overall business environment appears relatively favorable.
“Competitiveness is really a No. 1 priority, after security and defense,” Vital observes. “If you go down to what is a business priority, competitiveness and making sure that business can grow and operate with limited constraints at all levels means that there is a more open environment at the European level to push for our demands.”
However, Vital also acknowledges that the situation might vary at the national level depending on the political leanings of individual member states.
As SELDIA looks to the future, the organization remains committed to promoting direct selling as a valuable distribution channel that empowers individuals, particularly women, to build their own businesses with minimal risk. By addressing key challenges in enforcement, microentrepreneurship, and skill recognition, SELDIA aims to create a more competitive and inclusive single market that benefits both businesses and consumers in the direct selling sector.
The manifesto serves not only as a set of recommendations but also as an educational tool for new EU legislators. “Unfortunately in Europe, we have to re-educate people about direct selling and its benefits on a regular basis,” Vital notes, emphasizing the ongoing need for advocacy and awareness-building in the sector.
As the EU moves into its next legislative cycle, SELDIA’s manifesto provides a clear roadmap for policymakers to support and nurture the direct selling industry, as well as recognize its contributions to entrepreneurship, economic growth, and individual empowerment across Europe.
