Seeking new trade opportunities? Europe awaits
Changing market conditions, economic uncertainties, and increased tariffs can pose significant challenges, especially for small businesses dependent on cross-border trade. One way businesses can combat these challenges is to diversify—a strategy that can not only mitigate risk but open the door to new opportunities. Exporting from Singapore to Europe is a prime example.
Trade between Asia and Europe is already strong, but new developments signal exciting possibilities for 2025 and beyond. These include continued trade negotiations between the European Union (EU) and The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which, as a whole, is already the EU’s third largest trade partner outside of Europe.
Find out why Europe is a market worth exploring and how our shipping solutions for small businesses can support your international expansion.
The strategic advantage: Why Europe for expansion?
With the increase in online shopping and savvy European consumers seeking product variety and value, cross-border commerce is booming. Expanding into Europe offers small businesses a powerful way to tap into this opportunity and comes with many advantages.
A connected continent
The EU is a powerhouse market, uniting 27 member countries and over 450 million consumers. All member countries share the same trade policy and a Common Customs Tariff (CCT). This uniformity simplifies processes like calculation of duties when trading with multiple EU countries. What’s more, once your products enter one EU member state, you can move them across borders without extra customs duties or quotas.
Shipping to the UK?
With loyal customers who prefer online shopping, the UK is an attractive hub for businesses seeking to broaden their reach. However, keep in mind that the UK has its own separate trade policies following Brexit.
Thriving e-commerce market
The European e-commerce market continues to grow, with Forrester forecasting a compound annual growth rate of 7.8% across five key economies between 2024 and 2029. Cross-border commerce plays an important role and there’s clear demand for goods from Asia. In fact, e-commerce shipping volumes from China to Europe increased by 28% in the first three months alone of 2025.
Emerging opportunities
Hungary
Hungary's e-commerce market is experiencing significant growth, and, according to a report from PwC and the Digital Commerce Alliance, the driving force "is no longer Hungarian and EU retailers, but cross-border, import-based businesses".
Poland
Poland has one of the fastest growing economies in the EU and cross-border commerce is thriving. According to a study from The Chamber of Digital Economy, one in three people in Poland are shopping online internationally, nearly triple the number from 2024.
Turkey
Turkish consumers are increasingly turning to international e-commerce for better prices and wider product selection. According to data from the Interbank Card Center (BKM), overseas online shopping by Turkish consumers increased by 73% year-on-year in May 2025.
One-stop solution for shipping to Europe
One of the biggest challenges for businesses exporting from Singapore to Europe is navigating the complexities of international shipping, including managing customs documentation and staying across the latest requirements and regulations. This is where FedEx comes in—bringing you the world’s largest air express network, European’s biggest road network, and a range of tools and services to support your export strategy.
With three European hubs, over 540 depots, and transit hubs across 45 European countries and territories, we’ll get your shipments to your customers wherever they are. We also offer tools to help you simplify shipping and manage customs clearance.
Visit our customs clearance portal for essential tools such as:
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Export customs clearance procedures
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News and alerts on regulatory and service changes
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Electronic trade documentation
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Global Trade Manager which enables harmonized system (HS) code searches and estimation of duties and taxes
Top tips for smooth customs clearance
- Partner with a logistics provider with experience and tools to help you stay compliant with international regulations
- Pre-check shipping and export documentation to ensure accuracy and completeness
- Classify goods correctly using precise HS codes for all products
- Track shipment status for proactive management of potential delays or issues
Find out how you can simplify customs clearance and ship with confidence using FedEx.
FedEx shipping to Europe: Shipping options for small business
FedEx offers a variety of shipping options for small business seeking to export from Singapore to Europe. These include solutions for e-commerce, budget friendly, time-critical, and heavy shipments as well as solutions for businesses distributing goods to multiple locations.
Key takeaways
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Why Europe? Access an interconnected market of 450+ million people and benefit from a thriving e-commerce landscape.
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Emerging opportunities: Look beyond major markets to emerging e-commerce hubs like Hungary, Poland, and Turkey for new growth.
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Get Started: Lean on our extensive European network and expertise to make your expansion simple and successful.
Take the next step. Europe’s waiting.
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