EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Investigation into JD.com's Acquisition of German Retail Giant

Regarding the acquisition of German electronics retail giant Ceconomy by Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, the European Commission announced yesterday that it has launched an in-depth investigation under the 'Foreign Subsidies Regulation.' The reason is that JD.com may have received foreign subsidies that distort the EU's internal market. JD.com responded by stating that the acquisition was not financed through subsidies. According to Sina Finance, JD.com is accelerating its expansion in the European market. Last year, JD.com spent 2.2 billion euros (approximately NT$80.4 billion) to acquire Ceconomy, gaining the two well-known retail brands MediaMarkt and Saturn, as well as store and logistics networks across multiple European countries, and launched the Joybuy e-commerce platform in several European nations. It was also recently reported that JD.com is considering acquiring the British online retailer Very Group. The European Commission stated that preliminary investigations suggest JD.com may have received foreign subsidies, including preferential financing and tax breaks from Chinese entities. The Commission must make a decision within 90 working days (by October 2, 2026).