The emergence of e-commerce reshaped the traditional trade models, also playing a significant role in meeting the UN sustainable development goals. According to the UN, sustained growth and social development must include resilient infrastructure, foster innovation, allow for better access to information and communications technology, and universal and affordable internet infrastructure. This study explores a multidimensional analysis of e-commerce development in the EU generated by the following factors: education, internet infrastructure, income, and economic freedom. We use an ARDL econometric model and Eurostat data. Additionally, we analyze the time responsiveness of e-commerce growth to changes in these factors. In the long run, our findings identify a stable and positive relationship between e-commerce and all these factors. However, in the short run, our results illustrate significant dynamics between two variables and e-commerce. Specifically, the level of internet access and the percentage of individuals who use the internet daily exhibit a positive short-run impact on e-commerce sales, with the system absorbing shocks within a short period. This research advocates for targeted policies that support innovation, fair competition, and consumer protection in the digital economy. This research provides valuable guidance for policymakers and stakeholders in improving the institutional framework to promote a sustainable development of e-commerce in the EU.

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in notable transformations of the commerce landscape, particularly in the realm of electronic commerce. This sector has experienced a precipitous advancement, characterized by substantial modifications of online business under-takings, encompassing both products and services. The aim of the current research was to explore the similarities and differences between European Union member states in the context of e-commerce in the post-pandemic period, taking into consideration the population’s level of education, the risk of poverty, as well as households’ access to the internet. The analysis was conducted for the year 2021, which represented the most recent year for which data were available, and was based on the application of the hierarchical cluster methodology, which included the Ward method and the Robust Tests of Equality of Means (Welch and Brown–Forsythe). Five clusters resulted, which included a minimum of three countries and a maximum of nine. The present study focused on examining the similarities and disparities within clusters, as well as among countries belonging to those clusters. These observed similarities and disparities are believed to be the outcome of various indicators that influence the realm of electronic commerce, and they are contingent upon the economic development level of each country and their ability to cope with the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The information obtained in this study pertains to the future of electronic commerce in the sense of identifying premises that allow the development and application of development strategies.

The transition to a circular economy is imperative in order to confer considerable benefits upon the environment, the economy, and society. The present study aimed to analyse the interdependence and causal relationships between recyclable material consumption as the dependent variable and other independent variables, including the raw material footprint, the trade in recyclable materials, greenhouse gas emissions, investments in the circular economy sectors, the real GDP per capita, renewable energy sources, the circular material use rate, and the population within the 27 EU Member States from 2013 to 2021. In order to achieve the objective, a two-stage economic model was constructed using a panel approach. The research findings indicate a direct and positive correlation between the consumption of recyclable materials and all the aforementioned independent variables, with the exception of greenhouse gas emissions. This study confirms that innovation and investment significantly reduce environmental degradation, and, moreover, the efficiency of investment remains unaffected. A further relationship that emerged from this study is that developed countries have higher resource consumption, which is consistent with the cause of increased consumption being the rapid growth of the middle class around the world. The main conclusion is that Europe cannot achieve sustainable development without a circular economy.