As it prepares for a potential British stock market entrance, Shein has brought a new teammate onto its global lobbying fleet: Günther Oettinger.
Turkey Is The Latest Country With a Customs Crackdown Targeting Temu, Shein
Oettinger previously served as the European Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources and held other roles in the energy and digital economy sectors for the EU. He now owns an advisory firm based in Hamburg, Germany, called Oettinger Consulting. The company’s website states that it offers marketing and media services.
After concluding his work with the bloc, he also joined the global advisory board of Kekst CNC, a firm unaffiliated with his own, in 2020.
Kekst CNC, a strategic communication firm often leveraged by corporate entities for lobbying, has worked with Shein throughout 2023 and 2024, EU Transparency Register data shows. In 2023, Shein paid Kekst between €100,000 and €199,999 ($110,426 and $220,851) for representation costs. In 2024, that has, to date, increased to an amount between €200,000 and €299,999 ($220,853 and $331,278).
The Transparency Register does not yet reflect any lobbying dealings with Oettinger’s own company.
A spokesperson for Kekst CNC said that though Oettinger sits on its board, he “does not have a role in specific mandates.” The company confirmed it is mandated to work with Shein in Brussels, but declined to discuss its business with the company, stating that its policy is not to comment on client work.
Shein did not comment on what kind of issues it has been working with Kekst or Oettinger on.
However, the EU’s records show that the company has targeted a variety of legislative proposals or policies, including the Digital Services Act ( DSA ), under which it was named a very large online provider (VLOP) and mandated to comply with the most stringent rules; the EU AI Act , which went into force earlier this month; the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive ( CSDDD ) and forced labor regulations.
Shein’s increased interest in lobbying comes at a time when reports state the company has filed for an initial public offering ( IPO ) with the London Stock Exchange. It did so confidentially in June, Reuters and NBC News reported at the time.
'Comprehensive' De Minimis Reform Bill Targets Apparel and Textile Products
As scrutiny on the company increases, it appears to be getting its ducks in a row, though it still has a number of potential hurdles to overcome.
This week, the Turkish government cracked down on its de minimis threshold and amped duties for goods coming from outside of the EU. Import duties will increase from 18 percent to 30 percent, and tax rates have doubled, reaching 60 percent. Meanwhile, the country cut the value threshold to impose these taxes and duties from from €150 ($164) to €30 ($33).
But Turkey’s new rules may be indicative of a broader trend in the EU, as the bloc has already begun to put the wheels in motion on doing away with the provision, often called a “loophole,” throughout its member states.
Oettinger may help the fast-fashion purveyor as it lobbies over trade and tariff rules in the EU.
However, the EU is far from the only jurisdiction reconsidering its de minimis rules; South Africa completely shuttered its “loophole” in July. And last week, lawmakers in the U.S. put forth a bill proposing legislation called the Fighting Illicit Goods, Helping Trustworthy Importers, and Netting Gains ( FIGHTING ) for America Act, which would disallow certain industries from using de minimis. The U.S.’s current de minimis threshold stands at $800.
It seems Shein may already be working to cover its bases in the U.S .; according to OpenSecrets data, Shein has spent over $2 million on lobbying this year alone, using 24 lobbyists. In 2023, the company spent about $2.1 million on 14 lobbyists.
Shein did not comment on its lobbying activities, and Kekst CNC did not return Sourcing Journal’s request for comment on its work with Shein.
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