UK adopts new e-commerce laws

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has issued new e-commerce regulations in the UK. The laws will govern the implementation of the EU's E-commerce Directive, which aims to safeguard consumer rights.

Last week the DTI said the regulations were designed to encourage "greater use of e-commerce by breaking down barriers across Europe and boosting consumer confidence".

The E-commerce Directive covers companies that offer services "at a distance". The DTI said this meant any "services provided for remuneration, at a distance, by means of electronic equipment for the processing and storage of data and at the individual request of a recipient of a service". This includes business-to-business and business-to-consumer activities such as online shopping, but also any services that are free but funded through advertising or sponsorship revenues.

The DTI said that it - along with the UK Treasury - had conducted public consultations into the EU's directive. It added that the responses had been of a high quality, and had helped to "sharpen and focus" the regulations. The directive itself was agreed to in June 2000 and was supposed to be implemented in January of this year. However, the DTI said this delay was due to the consultation process.

E-commerce minister Stephen Timms said, "The E-commerce regulations are another important step towards making the UK the best place in the world to do e-commerce." The regulations will allow for a national law covering online services, as well as increasing the limitations on service providers' liabilities for any unlawful information they may carry or store. The regulations also take into consideration online advertising, creating "transparency requirements for online advertising".

Guidance on adhering to the regulations is available on the DTI's Web site

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