Federal Express Corporation (FedEx), one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, conducted a survey across Asia Pacific (APAC) and Europe, examining trade-lane trends and the key enablers and barriers to cross-border trade. The findings highlight opportunities and challenges for Australian businesses looking to expand their presence in Europe.
The APAC-Europe Study polled 850 small and medium businesses (SMEs) and large corporations across 13 APAC markets, including Australia, that sell goods to Europe, exploring business sentiment, readiness, and challenges for cross‑border expansion.
Click here to access the full Study.
Europe: A Key Market for Diversification
Amid a complex global trade landscape, Australian businesses are increasingly looking beyond Asia-Pacific to diversify their customer base—and Europe, as the study suggests, is a key market to consider. Seventy-one per cent of surveyed Australian businesses reported an increase in trade volume to Europe over the past year, with nearly one-third (30%) seeing growth of more than 10%. This confidence is reflected in the outlook, as 61% of the surveyed Australian businesses stated their perception of trade with Europe has improved in the past year.
In terms of market presence, 32% of surveyed Australian businesses report that Europe represents over a quarter of their customer base, while 8% report that more than half of their customers are European-based. Conversely, 22% maintain only a minimal presence (less than 10%), signalling room for expansion.
When it comes to perceived trade opportunities, the UK (50%), Germany (28%), and France (27%) comprise the surveyed Australian businesses’ top three, indicating a clear preference for established, reliable trade routes over emerging markets.
Navigating Barriers and Driving Efficiency
While Europe offers significant growth opportunities, Australian businesses face notable challenges when trading with the region, including high logistics costs (45%), import taxes/tariffs (36%), and supply chain complexities such as shipment delay (33%).
To help overcome these barriers, Australian businesses are increasingly looking for support in cost-effective logistics solutions (38%), market intelligence (32%), and customs clearance expertise (30%). Their key areas of focus on enabling smoother trade with Europe are cost efficiency (53%), customs clearance (35%), and supply chain visibility (26%).
“Europe represents a key opportunity for Australian businesses looking to diversify”, said Peter Langley, vice president of operations, FedEx Australasia. “At FedEx, we are committed to simplifying the end-to-end shipping process by providing our global network, digital tools, and our local expertise, helping Australian businesses navigate their way into European markets.”
FedEx added five weekly flights connecting Asia to Europe this month. FedEx now operates 26 weekly flights connecting APAC shipments to Europe, delivering express shipments to major European destinations in as little as 48 hours[1].
FedEx supports Australian businesses with a broad portfolio of smart digital solutions and specialised trade expertise to simplify cross-border commerce. Customers can streamline customs declarations by uploading Electronic Trade Documents digitally, while the FedEx Import Tool allows users to track clearance status and download required documents on demand.
The FedEx Go To Europe Hub is an always-on resource with trade guidelines, and local market insights, equipping Australian businesses shipping to Europe with the knowledge and tools they need to confidently expand and compete across borders.
To learn more about how FedEx enables and expands global trade, visit fedex.com/trade.
About the APAC-Europe Study
This Study was conducted by Milieu Insight in September 2025 across 13 Asia Pacific markets, including Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Study gathered insights from 850 Asia Pacific businesses that actively trade with Europe. Click here to download the full Study.
About Federal Express Corporation
Federal Express Corporation is one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, providing fast and reliable delivery to more than 220 countries and territories. Federal Express Corporation uses a global air-and-ground network to speed delivery of time-sensitive shipments by a definite time and date.
[1] Availability of services and transit time may vary depending on origin and destination postal code