European Footwear Confederation welcomes two new Associate Members, further strengthening its European footwear network

The European Footwear Confederation (CEC) is pleased to welcome two new Associate Members to its growing European network: Trade Partners Sweden and CAST Trade Platform for the Footwear, Sports & Fashion Industry in the Netherlands.

Their accession reflects CEC’s ambition to broaden its community and strengthen cooperation across the entire footwear ecosystem. In 2026, CEC expanded its membership to include a wider range of relevant stakeholders, including technology centres, expert groups, distributors, retailers and other key actors, recognising that collaboration across the value chain is essential to addressing the challenges facing the European footwear sector.

By bringing together different expertise and perspectives, CEC aims to foster dialogue, knowledge exchange and collaboration across borders, while ensuring that the voice and experience of the wider footwear community are represented at European level.

Trade Partners Sweden is Sweden’s leading organisation for commercial agents, distributors and suppliers, with more than 110 years of experience supporting Swedish trade. Through Stockholm Fashion District, it operates a leading business hub for the fashion, footwear and textile industries, including Stockholm Shoe House, home to 55 footwear showrooms representing Swedish and international brands. Trade Partners Sweden also coordinates the Swedish Shoe Environmental Initiative (SSEI), supporting footwear companies in addressing evolving sustainability requirements and EU legislation through knowledge sharing and industry dialogue.

CAST Trade Platform for the Footwear, Sports & Fashion Industry has been a leading business platform for the footwear sector in the Netherlands and the wider Benelux region since 1984. Bringing together more than 500 brands, retailers and industry professionals, CAST combines showrooms, trade events, digital solutions and knowledge exchange. Through initiatives such as PREVIEW trade shows, the BrandPortal and projects on product data standardisation, CAST supports digitalisation, sustainability and compliance with evolving European legislation.

“At a time of growing political and economic uncertainty, collaboration across the European footwear ecosystem is more important than ever. Our industry faces interconnected challenges, from weaker consumer demand and rising costs to geopolitical instability and an increasingly complex regulatory environment.

The transition to a more circular and sustainable economy is necessary, but it must support the competitiveness of European businesses. A growing number of requirements and differing national approaches to implementation risk fragmenting the Single Market and creating additional costs and complexity for companies operating across Europe.

This is why stronger cooperation is essential. By bringing together manufacturers, brands, technology centres, experts, distributors, retailers and other stakeholders, we can share knowledge, identify common solutions and ensure that the expertise of the entire footwear ecosystem is heard at European level. CEC’s ambition is to strengthen these connections and contribute to a competitive, innovative, sustainable and truly European footwear sector.” Carmen Arias, CEC’s Secretary General.

With Trade Partners Sweden and CAST joining its network, CEC takes another step towards building a stronger and more inclusive European footwear community. By connecting stakeholders across the value chain and across borders, CEC seeks to support cooperation, strengthen the sector’s competitiveness and contribute to a resilient, innovative and sustainable future for European footwear.