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Truck and Track June/July 2017 16
BUSINESS NEWS
TheMDof ambitious independent logistics business the Europa
Worldwide Group, Andrew Baxter, has reacted to the news that
the French Government is planning to charge a €40 driver
fee for temporary workers and those employed by a foreign
company, which is expected to come into force on 1 January
2018. Andrew speaks for many when he says:
“The decision of the French Government to charge a €40 fee for
every worker employed by a foreign company and operating in
France on a temporary basis is, inmy view, totally inconsistent with
free trade, the single market and membership of the EU.
“At this stage, we don’t know whether the fee will be per day, per
week, per year or simply a one-off fee per driver. Obviously the latter
option would be the least damaging to the haulage sector, but it
still seems an unnecessary and protectionist rule to implement
nonetheless – and, if per day, it could be very damaging indeed.
“When the new French President Emmanuel Macron has pulled
together a new Government, it is expected that the detail of this
new charge, which was suggested by his predecessor, will be
announced, and then, when we’ve seen the actual detail, we will be
able to effectively assess the impact of this potentially restrictive
tax on Europa.
“If it’s per year, this is only a few cents per week, and I’d expect
it would have a limited effect, but a €40 charge per trip or per
day would excessively increase the cost of operating in France.
Anything which negatively impacts the free flow of goods, whether
that be added paperwork, legislation or Government fees, would
be damaging to international trade, and therefore we would be
opposed to it.
“We understand that the fee will be used to maintain a database
that will handle all documents required by French authorities for
posted workers, including drivers. The potential of a €40 charge
per trip is disproportionate to this need and will increase the cost of
operating in France. I’d urge the European Commission to oppose
this decision and for President Macron to reverse it.”
Andrew Baxter of the EuropaWorldwide Group
Europa MD reacts to plans by Macron for new €40 driver fee
Geodis is stepping up its growth in the
retail fashion sector, as proven by a new
partnership with Kenzo, the luxury prêt-
à-porter company owned by the LVMH
group.
Geodis has been operating Kenzo’s global
logistics from France since the beginning
of March. Through the recently agreed
five-year partnership, Kenzo will be able
to pursue its growth plans by taking
advantage of the specialist expertise of
Geodis in retail fashion. With a dedicated
team of 70, Geodis is responsible for the
reception, storage and preparation of the
fashion brand’s clothes, leather goods,
shoes and accessories.
The Geodis logistics campus to the south
of Paris, a secure site with storage and
preparation facilities specially adapted to
folded and hanging garments, was selected
to centralise these operations.
Geodis is also supporting the Kenzo label
in the development of its e-commerce
sales channel by preparing and fulfilling
orders. In addition Kenzo is sourcing
specific services from Geodis, such as the
management of raw materials, quality
control and ensuring all its products meet
regulatory compliance standards.
Commenting on the business relationship,
David Perruche, Logistics Director of Kenzo,
stated: “It is the ability of Geodis to support
Kenzo in its international growth –and
both the modularity and flexibility of its
technical and commercial offering – that
caught our attention.”
Neil Bird, Vertical Market Director for
Retail and Luxury at Geodis, remarked:
“We already work with other LVMH brands,
and this new contract strengthens our
partnershipwith theGroupat a global level.
We are acting as their growth partner.”
■■In 2016 Geodis recorded €8 billion in
sales. Owned by SNCF Logistics, it has a
direct presence in 67 countries and a global
network spanning over 120 countries.
Geodis manages its customers’ supply
chains by providing end-to-end solutions
enabled by over 39,500 employees, its
infrastructure, processes and systems.
Geodis provides tailormade
services for Kenzo