This article originally appeared on BIPAC's blog. Written by BIPAC Political Analyst Jim Ellis.

Recently the German Retail Association (HDE) and eBay held an event in Berlin bringing together stakeholders from the retail industry, associations, politics, academics and media to talk about the success of eBay's SMB initiatives in the cities of Mönchengladbach Diepholz, enabling small retailers to grow their businesses online. Among the panelists were members of German Parliament Dieter Janecek and Hansjörg Durz, retail scientist Prof. Dr. Gerrit Heinemann, Stefan Genth of the HDE and Stefan Wenzel of eBay.

One in two Australians connect with sellers via eBay’s marketplace. As such, as part of eBay’s opposition to the Treasury Laws Amendment (GST Low Value Goods) Bill 2017 and its unintended consequences, eBay commissioned JWS Research to conduct a public opinion poll of 1000 Australians’ views regarding the Bill from 30 March-5 April 2017. The Bill would apply the 10% Australian Goods and Services Tax (GST) to all overseas online shopping imported into Australia.

From left to right are Francisco Herrero León, Maria Naranjo Crespo, and José Angel Lopez.

This article originally appeared on BIPAC's blog. Written by BIPAC Political Analyst Jim Ellis.

On 10 April, eBay lodged a submission to the Australian Senate’s Inquiry into the Treasury Laws Amendment (GST Low Value Goods) Bill 2017. The Senate Economics Legislation Committee is conducting an Inquiry into the Bill which will see all online overseas shopping imported into Australia subject to Australia’s domestic Goods and Services Tax (GST) and proposes that online marketplaces collect. The move is unprecedented and unworkable.

This article originally appeared on BIPAC's blog. Written by BIPAC Political Analyst Jim Ellis.