E-Commerce Directive (4 your eyes only)

[Henk Elegeert]

REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl

"
 E-Commerce Directive<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/directive_en.htm>

   - Introduction of the
Directive<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/directive_en.htm#introduction>
   - Preparatory stage of the
Directive<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/directive_en.htm#preparatory>
   - First report on the application of the
Directive<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/directive_en.htm#firstreport>
   - Studies and public
consultation<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/directive_en.htm#consultation>

------------------------------
Introduction of the Directive

The Electronic Commerce Directive, adopted in 2000, sets up an Internal
Market framework for electronic commerce, which provides legal certainty for
business and consumers alike. It establishes harmonised rules on issues such
as the transparency and information requirements for online service
providers, commercial communications, electronic contracts and limitations
of liability of intermediary service providers.

The proper functioning of the Internal Market in electronic commerce is
ensured by the Internal Market clause, which means that information society
services are, in principle, subject to the law of the Member State in which
the service provider is established. In turn, the Member State in which the
information society service is received cannot restrict incoming services.

In addition, the Directive enhances administrative cooperation between the
Member States and the role of self-regulation.

Examples of services covered by the Directive include online information
services (such as online newspapers), online selling of products and
services (books, financial services and travel services), online
advertising, professional services (lawyers, doctors, estate agents),
entertainment services and basic intermediary services (access to the
Internet and transmission and hosting of information). These services
include also services provided free of charge to the recipient and funded,
for example, by advertising or sponsorship.

   - Directive 2000/31/EC<http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32000L0031:EN:NOT>on
electronic commerce

------------------------------
Preparatory stage of the Directive
  04.05.2000 Commission welcomes final adoption of legal framework
Directive<http://europa.eu/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/00/442|0|AGED&lg=EN&display=>
28.02.2000 Common position of the Council
<http://register.consilium.europa.eu/servlet/driver?lang=EN&typ=Advanced&cmsid=639&ff_COTE_DOCUMENT=14263/1/99&ff_COTE_DOSSIER_INST=&ff_TITRE=&ff_FT_TEXT=&ff_SOUS_COTE_MATIERE=&dd_DATE_DOCUMENT=&dd_DATE_REUNION=&dd_FT_DATE=&fc=REGAISEN&srm=25&md=100&ssf=&rc=1&nr=1&page=Detail>with
a view to the adoption of a Directive on electronic commerce
08.12.1999 Commissioner
Bolkestein welcomes political
agreement<http://europa.eu/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/99/952|0|AGED&lg=EN&display=>on
electronic commerce Directive
01.09.1999 Amended
proposal<http://europa.eu/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/99/652|0|AGED&lg=EN&display=>for
a coherent legal framework for electronic commerce in the Single
Market
18.11.1998 Commission proposes legal
framework<http://europa.eu/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/98/999|0|AGED&lg=EN&display=>
10.03.1998 Orientations for Electronic Commerce: Discussion in the Council
of Economy and Finance Ministers [image:
Français]<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/orientation_fr.htm>
16.04.1997 Commission presents framework for future
action<http://europa.eu/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/97/313|0|AGED&lg=EN&display=>

------------------------------
First Report on the application of the Directive

Article 21 of Directive 2000/31/EC provides that in 2003 and thereafter
every two years, the Commission shall submit to the European Parliament, the
Council and the Economic and Social Committee a report on the application of
the Directive accompanied, where necessary, by proposals for adapting it to
legal, technical and economic developments in the field of information
society services.

The *First Report* provides the first assessment of the transposition and
application of the Directive and its impact. The Report is the first stage
in a continuous process to ensure that Europe stays in the frontline of
development in electronic commerce with a maximum level of legal certainty
both for business and consumers.

   - Report<http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:52003DC0702:EN:NOT>
   - Press release<http://europa.eu/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/03/1580|0|AGED&lg=EN>

------------------------------
Studies and public consultation

In the context of the application of the E-commerce Directive, the
Commission commissioned two studies respectively on its economic impact and
on the application of the provisions on the liability of internet
intermediaries.

The first study was carried out by Copenhagen Economics and finalised in
September 2007. It analyses the first results of the economic impact in
particular of the internal market clause of the E-commerce Directive, as
well as of its provisions on the liability of internet intermediaries and on
electronic contracts.

   - *Study on the Economic Impact of the Electronic Commerce Directive,
   09.2007 *
      - Final Report<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/ecd/%20final%20report_070907.pdf>
[image:
      PDF]
         - Appendix
A<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/ecd/%20final%20report_appendix%20a.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Appendix
B<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/ecd/%20final%20report_appendix%20b.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Appendix
C<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/ecd/%20final%20report_appendix%20c.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Appendix
D<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/ecd/%20final%20report_appendix%20d.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]

The second one, undertaken by the ULYS consortium, aimed at collecting
information on the application of Section 4 of the Directive at European and
national level.

   - *Study on the Liability of Internet Intermediaries, 11.2007*
      - Final report<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/final_report_en.pdf>
[image:
      PDF]
      - Country reports:
         - Austria<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/austria_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Belgium<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/belgium_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Cyprus<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/cyprus_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Czech_republic<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/czech_republic_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Denmark<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/denmark_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Estonia<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/estonia_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Finland<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/finland_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - France
(long)<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/france_12Nov2007_long_fr.pdf>
[image:
         PDF][image: Français]
         - Germany<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/germany_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Greece<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/greece_12nov2007_en.pdf>[image:
         PDF]
         - Hungary<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/hungary_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Ireland<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/ireland_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
       - Italy<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/italy_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Latvia<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/latvia_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Lithuania<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/lithuania_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Luxembourg<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/luxembourg_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Malta<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/malta_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Poland<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/poland_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Portugal<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/portugal_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Slovak_republic<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/slovak_republic_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Slovenia<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/slovenia_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Spain<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/spain_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - Sweden<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/sweden_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - The_netherlands<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/the_netherlands_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]
         - UK<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/docs/study/liability/uk_12nov2007_en.pdf>
[image:
         PDF]

The two studies are background material for the Commission but can also be
useful for stakeholders, in particular in the context of the public
consultation on electronic commerce that the
Commission<http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/consultations/2010/e-commerce_en.htm>launched
on 10 August 2010.

This consultation aims at analysing the reasons why electronic commerce
remains limited to less than 2% of total retail service sales in the EU, and
reaches 4% in just 4 Member States, over 10 years after it started. It seeks
to identify obstacles to the development of e-commerce and to evaluate the
impact of the E-commerce Directive (2000/31/CE). On the basis of the
responses received, as well as the input from discussions with Member
States, and relevant reports from the European Parliament, the Commission
will come forward, in early 2011, with a Communication on E-commerce setting
out lessons learnt and possible next steps.

Issues covered in the consultation include: commercial communications of
regulated professions such as pharmacists and lawyers; the development of
the online press, the issue of the liability of internet intermediaries,
administrative cooperation, on-line dispute resolution, etc. Contributions
are welcome until *November 5th 2010*.

"

Niet verder vertellen, hé ! ;)

Henk Elegeert

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