Jan-Willem van Schaik

OSAKA, Japan - The company's financial results for the first nine months of 2018 do not show it evidently. However, in the explanation of the results Shimano says, "In Europe, with the stable weather continuing through the summer season, retail sales of completed bicycles, mainly sport e-bikes, stayed robust."

TAIPEI, Taiwan - An increasing number of Taiwanese bicycle companies are relocating their production back from China to Taiwan.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - In a letter, dated 8 October, the European Bicycle Manufacturers' Association (EBMA) has informed the European Commission that they wish to withdraw their request for registration of imports. This was reported by the Collective of European Importers of Electric Bicycles.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European bicycle industry gathered in Brussels last week for their founding meeting of the Cycling Industries European (CIE). It is being created to enable cycling businesses of all sizes and from all sectors to make their contribution to business and society.

DRESDEN, Germany - The TerraE consortium, set up with great ambitions about a year and a half ago to establish a giga factory to produce lithium-ion cells, has seemed to have failed.

VIENNA, Austria - In a recent case of bicycle theft the Austrian police was able to track and find a stolen e-bike in 24 hours and even discover a van of stolen goods. Geo-location and connectivity were the keywords to solve the case at an international level.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission recently published its proposals to reform the Value Added Tax (VAT) system. If the proposal goes ahead, Member States will be able to set reduced or zero VAT rates much more freely than currently.

DOETICHEM, the Netherlands - After ten years as the magazine's Key Account manager, Lucas van 't Hof is leaving the team of Bike Europe and the Dutch sister magazine for the IBDs Tweewieler. His last day in the office will be 19 October.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - The successful premiere edition of the Taipei Cycle Forum on 23 March in Taichung Taiwan, made show organizer TAITRA decide to introduce the concept at next Taipei Cycle Show in October. During the second edition of the Forum experts from

JOURE, the Netherlands - The 100 anniversary celebrations of the bicycle lights and accessories supplier Spanninga was the moment for owner and CEO Feike Spanninga to advocate the quality label for bicycle lights in road safety.