Rosie Burgin

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Chinese e-bikes have once again been implicated in a customs fraud case involving the evasion of duties when importing products into the EU market. Under the code-name Calypso, a complex scheme was exposed which led to raids across several EU member states. The total damage of the activities under investigation is estimated at approximately €700 million, although it is unclear how much of this is directly attributed to e-bike fraud.

EINDHOVEN, The Netherlands - Shimano Europe has launched Nextgen Mechanics, a new call for evidence aimed at tackling the growing shortage of skilled bicycle mechanics across Europe. The collaborative initiative with Cycling Industries Europe aims to bring in a broad alliance of stakeholders committed to strengthening the profession, raising standards, and inspiring the next generation of cycle mechanics.

PARIS, France - Upway, the online platform for reconditioned electric bikes, has launched a strategic partnership with the Spanish bike brand Orbea to give e-bikes a second life and support the sales of new e-bikes at the same time. In a move to strengthen the circular economy of e-bikes by including established industry players, a trade-in program is now live at Orbea retailers across several European countries.

FRANKFURT, Germany - The Confederation of the European Bicycle Industry (CONEBI) and Cycling Industries Europe (CIE) have signed a Letter of Intent to advance the merger of the two associations. Delivered as a milestone for the European bicycle industry, "this step reflects a shared vision to amplify the voice of the European cycling industry to lead the continent's mobility and industrial transformation," it was announced.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - For the first 4 months of the year, Taiwanese customs data showed that the country's bicycle industry was showing the first signs of recovery after years of global market stagnation. Both e-bike and component exports rose in the first quarter of 2025, driven by increasing demand for high-value products and improved average unit prices. However, preliminary export data for May shows that this growth has not been sustained.

BRUSSELS, Belgium — "The legal equivalence with bicycles laid the strong foundation of the success of the e-bike," claimed German trade association ZIV earlier this year. At the same time, it proposed imposing additional technical restrictions on e-bikes and dividing e-bikes into two categories governed by separate legal frameworks. LEVA-EU refutes this claim in a response, calling it "unfounded" and has repeatedly called for the creation of a dedicated LEV regulatory framework instead of following a "narrow industrial agenda."

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The total number of e-bikes entering the European Union (EU) in Q1 of 2025 is almost unchanged on a like-for-like basis compared to the same period last year, the latest data from Eurostat shows. With a 3% rise to almost 130,000 units, it is China and Cambodia which have significantly grown their contribution to the e-bikes entering the EU. Meanwhile, the number of e-bikes coming from Taiwan continues to decline.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Human rights have become a key issue in industrial practices, progressing from a moral inclination to a regulatory necessity. This change is also taking place in the bicycle industry. The issue came to the forefront earlier this year when allegations of mistreatment of migrant workers in the Taiwanese bicycle industry surfaced. The Taipei Cycle show in March offered Bike Europe the opportunity to take stock of what is currently at play in Taiwan.

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Two Chinese battery manufacturers, Phylion's subsidiary Joycube and Greenway, told Bike Europe of their intent to open factories in Hungary during this year's Taipei Cycle show. As e-bike sales begin to dominate in key European markets and new battery regulations come into force, localised manufacturing and servicing have become a key focal point.

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Several European countries have been implicated in a new investigation of customs fraud in connection with disassembled Chinese-made e-bikes. Led by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Portugal, 16 searches were conducted yesterday in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal, in order to collect evidence in an investigation codenamed 'Pedelecs'.