The additions reflect CEC’s efforts to broaden its membership and strengthen cooperation across the footwear value chain. In 2026, the organisation expanded its network to include technology centres, expert groups, distributors, retailers and other stakeholders.
Trade Partners Sweden represents commercial agents, distributors and suppliers and operates Stockholm Fashion District, including Stockholm Shoe House, which hosts 55 footwear showrooms. It also coordinates the Swedish Shoe Environmental Initiative, supporting companies on sustainability requirements and EU legislation.
CAST has been a business platform for the footwear, sports and fashion sectors in the Netherlands and wider Benelux since 1984. It brings together more than 500 brands, retailers and industry professionals, supporting trade, digitalisation, sustainability and regulatory compliance.
CEC Secretary General Carmen Arias said stronger cooperation was increasingly important amid weaker consumer demand, rising costs, geopolitical instability and a more complex regulatory environment. She added that differing national approaches to new requirements risk fragmenting the Single Market and increasing costs and complexity for businesses, making greater collaboration across the footwear ecosystem essential.
