EU seeks to balance consumer rights with e-commerce needs

The European Parliament is hoping to improve the e-commerce landscape by striking an accord between shoppers' rights and vendors' rights to do business.

Information society and media commissioner Viviane Reding said in a statement that the Parliament wants to boost its own internal markets, while ensuring that the services given to customers are fair.

The initiative will result in the release of the Consumer Rights Directive designed to harmonise selling rules across the continent.

"The balanced approach favoured by European Parliamentarians today will strengthen consumer rights and the functioning of Europe's internal market," said Reding.

"Today's vote in the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection provides for one set of EU rights for consumers shopping at a distance or off-premises, such as from a door-to-door salesman."

The European Parliament also expects its intervention to improve the landscape for vendors, and ensure a more level playing field and a much wider e-commerce customer base.

For example, UK Distance Selling Regulations currently ask that merchants give customers a seven-day cooling off period, but this will be extended to 14 days to make European rules more coherent, according to Reding.

Shoppers who want to return goods for their own reasons, meanwhile, should expect to be given their money back, including delivery fees, within 14 days. Traders will also be expected to pay for any damage to goods in transport.

A vote on the proposals is scheduled for March.