Liege is readying itself to become a major meeting point for the European e-commerce and air cargo sectors as the EU Cross-Border E-Commerce Forum (EU CBEC) 2026 kicks off on 8-10 September at the Palais des Congrès.
The third edition of the forum, organized by Liege Airport and AWEX, the Wallonia Export and Investment Agency, will probably be the largest since the launch. More than 1,000 participants have already registered, almost double the almost 600 professionals who participated in the previous edition.
The event will bring together e-commerce executives, airlines, freight forwarders, shippers, customs authorities, technology companies and supply chain specialists from around the world over three days. Their discussions will center on the challenges and opportunities that are currently reshaping cross-border trade.
Organizers are framing the forum as a place where industry insight, innovation, networking and business development come together. The scale of this year’s program is testament to that ambition, with 53 confirmed speakers and representatives from more than 300 companies expected to attend. The event will also host 60 cargo airlines, over 100 freight forwarders and 15 media and press magazines, with participants attending 17 expert panels and speeches.
Each EU CBEC edition is better than the one before as we always build on experience and market feedback. “The EU CBEC is unique because it focuses on every facet of e-commerce, and it brings together so many dedicated professionals and top decision-makers,” says Frederic Brun, VP Sales & Marketing at CargoLand by LGG.
A jam-packed three-day program
The EU CBEC program kicks off on 8 September with a networking afternoon before the main event. Participants will have the chance to take part in a “Discover Liège” activity, before an evening welcome reception.
The main conference will begin on 9 September at 09:00 with the official opening and welcome speeches. This will be followed by a full program of keynote presentations, expert panels and parallel sessions, complemented by a networking lunch, exhibition and one-to-one business meetings.
The first full conference day ends with a gala dinner, scheduled from 19:00 to 01:00.
Sessions will continue next morning, 10 September, 09:15. The morning continues with more keynote speeches, panel discussions and industry conversations before the forum closes at 13:00.
Key themes for this year’s discussions will include: marketplace growth and platform evolution; customs reform, regulation and compliance; cargo diversification and logistics resilience; AI, digitalization and operational innovation; and the increasing importance of data quality in international trade.
Together, these themes resonate with some of the most urgent issues faced by cross-border e-commerce and logistics. Regulatory requirements are growing, consumer behavior is ever-changing and companies are under increasing pressure to improve the automation, transparency and operational efficiency across their supply chains.
Lots of speakers
The speaker program covers a wide range of leading personalities in the international air cargo, logistics and e-commerce industries.
Confirmed speakers include Jeffrey van Haeften of Emirates SkyCargo, Mohanned Badri of Saudia Cargo, Wolfgang Meier of Silk Way West Airlines and Peter Scholten of Air One Aviation. Etihad’s Stanislas Brun and Swissport’s Steven Polmans are also expected to attend.
Representing the freight forwarding and logistics industry are CEVA’s Philippe Uhlmann, DSV’s Stefan Krikken, DHL’s Henk Venema and Morrison Express’s Asok Kumar.
E-commerce platforms will also be represented at the forum with Remon Moes from Alibaba International.
Roos Bakker will represent the industry association TIACA and Valentina Abplanalp will represent IATA.
The local hosts will be represented by Frédéric Brun, Alexis Lapot and Michel Kempeneers from Liege Airport and AWEX, who will present their point of view.
The full line-up of speakers is available on the official EU CBEC Forum website, the organizers said.
Who Should Go
The event is aimed at a broad spectrum of professionals working in the e-commerce and supply chain ecosystem.
The target audience is e-commerce business owners/managers and supply chain and logistics professionals in C-suite, senior and VP level positions. We also expect marketing and sales executives, legal and compliance professionals and technology and innovation leaders to attend.
Airlines, freight forwarders and ground handlers are also targeted, particularly in c-suite, senior and VP roles.
The broad audience highlights the forum as a meeting place where strategic decision makers can interact directly with operational specialists throughout the cross-border e-commerce value chain.
Located in the center of Europe
The event is held in the city of Liege due to its strategic position within the logistical network of Europe.
The city is home to CARGOLAND, one of the main cargo airports in Europe and an important logistics center. CARGOLAND, located in the heart of the continent’s air freight network, specializes in air freight and e-commerce logistics, focusing on infrastructure, services and customized solutions for global economic partners.
AWEX, the forum’s co-host, offers a different but complementary dimension to the event. It is the public agency for the international promotion of Wallonia, helping Walloon companies in their international development by providing strategic guidance, market intelligence and operational assistance.
Preparations are clearly well advanced for an edition expected to far exceed last year’s attendance, with exhibition and accommodation inquiries already being handled by dedicated contacts, while press and media partnerships are being coordinated separately.
The hopes for the 2026 forum aren’t just to bring in more people. The event is helping to cement the EU CBEC as a permanent fixture on Europe’s cross-border e-commerce calendar.
In an industry that is experiencing simultaneous regulatory changes, geopolitical uncertainty and rapid technological development, Liege will be an important setting for the companies and decision-makers shaping the future of international trade to debate those issues directly.
