Five EU Countries Account For Two-Thirds Of Road Freight

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

August 3, 2026

Five Countries Account For Two-Thirds Of EU Road Freight

Road freight transport across the European Union continued to grow in 2025, highlighting the dominant role of a handful of member states in the bloc’s logistics network. According to Eurostat, total road freight reached 1,886 billion tonne-kilometres, up 0.9% from a year earlier, while the volume of goods transported increased by 1.8% to 13.3 billion tonnes.

Poland Remains The Largest Freight Market

Poland retained its leading position with 381.0 billion tonne-kilometres, accounting for 20.2% of all EU road freight activity. Germany ranked second with 277.4 billion tonne-kilometres (14.7%), followed closely by Spain with 272.6 billion tonne-kilometres (14.5%).

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France and Italy completed the top five, recording 172.9 billion and 161.7 billion tonne-kilometres, respectively. Together, the five countries accounted for 67.1% of all road freight transport across the European Union.

Domestic Transport Continues To Dominate

National transport within individual member states remained the largest segment, representing 62.2% of all road freight measured in tonne-kilometres. Direct international transport accounted for 24.4%, while cross trade represented 10.7% and cabotage the remaining 2.7%.

Domestic transport recorded the strongest growth, rising 2.2% year on year. International transport increased by 0.3%, while cross trade and cabotage declined by 3.7% and 3.0%, respectively.

Germany Anchors Europe’s Cross-Border Freight Network

Measured by the weight of goods transported, the busiest cross-border corridor remained the route between Germany and the Netherlands, with 86.9 million tonnes moved during the year. Germany and Poland followed with 68.4 million tonnes, ahead of Belgium and France with 55.9 million tonnes.

Germany appeared as either the origin or destination in six of the EU’s ten busiest bilateral freight routes, underscoring its central role in Europe’s road freight network.

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Shein Targets $25 Billion Valuation In Hong Kong IPO As Growth Slows

by News Editor

August 17, 2026

Shein is reportedly targeting a valuation of around $25 billion in its planned Hong Kong IPO, a sharp decline from the nearly $100 billion valuation the online fashion retailer achieved in a 2022 fundraising round.

Two people familiar with the plans said the company was likely to target about $25 billion, while another source put the expected range at $25 billion to $28 billion based on the proposed price band.

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IPO Valuation Falls Sharply

Shein plans to sell up to 8% of its shares in the offering, according to a person familiar with the plans. At a $25 billion valuation, that would translate into an IPO of as much as $2 billion.

The latest target is also below the $30 billion to $40 billion valuation the company was seeking earlier this month as it began meeting with potential investors.

Founded in China in 2012 and now headquartered in Singapore, Shein sells low-cost clothing to consumers in about 160 countries. The company is expected to launch its long-awaited Hong Kong IPO later this week.

Trade Restrictions Weigh On Growth

Shein’s valuation has come under pressure as major markets tighten rules affecting low-cost e-commerce shipments. The European Union, for example, has moved to impose additional fees on cheap parcels from platforms such as Shein and Temu. EU Tightens Rules On Low-Cost E-Commerce Parcels

In the U.S., the removal of an import duty exemption for small packages has also affected the company. Shein reported a $99 million quarterly loss in the first quarter of 2026 as sales growth slowed, while a one-time accounting charge further weighed on its results. Shein Reports First-Quarter Loss Ahead Of IPO

Investors Question Shein’s Growth Prospects

The steep reduction in valuation reflects growing concerns over slower growth, higher trade costs, regulatory pressure and stronger competition across global e-commerce.

Some investors who reviewed Shein’s recent financial statements or attended IPO presentations told Reuters they were skeptical that the company could return to the growth rates that supported its $98.2 billion valuation in 2022. Shein’s Slowing Growth Tests Investor Appetite

A lower IPO valuation could also affect Shein’s existing investors. Under the terms of its IPO filing, the company may have to issue additional shares to certain pre-IPO investors if its valuation falls below agreed thresholds.

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