While the wiser man gives way, the smarter guy pushes for more!

While the wiser man gives way, the smarter guy pushes for more!

There is a saying in Czech that “a wiser man will give way in a conflict.”
That may be true — but the problem is, the smarter one will push for more.

Take EU compliance.
We built a system of rules to protect our workers, consumers, and environment — and to ensure that companies play by the same fair standards.
But what about the free riders who ignore those rules and exploit every blind spot in our legislation?

Is compliance still a shield that protects us — or has it become a burden that weakens our industry?
And why is it so hard to impose compliance on those who deliberately undermine it?

During the ComplianceM4UA compliance coordination meeting in Porto, we visited a local apparel producer. The European apparel industry employs over 1 million people. Of course, it may not be everyone’s dream job to spend the day behind a sewing machine — but we can’t build an economy made only for the “smartest” ones.
It is tightly regulated for working conditions, product safety, and environmental impact, including recycling.
And yet, this industry has already survived several near-fatal blows from low-cost competition — when retailers flooded the EU with cheap products made in conditions reminiscent of the 19th-century industrial revolution.

But today’s challenge is on a completely different scale.
Platforms like Shein, Temu, and AliExpress are the true free riders of the global market.
They exploit legislative loopholes like the “de minimis” rule, which allows parcels under €150 to enter the EU duty-free. Even the European Commission admits that this rule is “heavily exploited,” with up to 65% of parcels undervalued to avoid customs duties.

And it doesn’t stop there — these platforms squeeze suppliers so aggressively on price that compliance becomes nearly impossible. Working conditions suffer. Product safety collapses.
A recent test found that 95% of toys imported through Temu violated EU regulations.

So yes — the wiser man may give way. But maybe it’s time that Europe stopped being only wise… and started being smarter. Let´s leverage compliance to everybody´s advantage!

The creation of this communication has been funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) can be held responsible for them.