European Commission to consult on slow online trade

E-commerce still only two per cent of European retail revenue

The slow uptake of e-commerce in Europe has prompted the European Commission to launch a public consultation.

The Commission sees e-commerce as essential to the single market, promoting cross-border competition and trade.

But e-commerce accounts for less than two per cent of total retail trade in Europe, despite the fact that the dot com boom was nearly 15 years ago and the E-commerce Directive was adopted 10 years ago.

E-commerce is also a vital part of the Commission’s 2020 Digital Agenda for Europe and its wider ambition to nurture a so-called information society in Europe.

The consultation is open to all interested parties – government departments responsible for trade, business-to-consumer and business-to-business retailers, ISPs, legal representatives, financial institutes and individual citizens – and closes on 15 October.

The Commission is soliciting views on the level of development, both national and cross-border, of information society services; contractual restrictions on cross-border online sales; cross-border online commercial communications by regulated professions; development of online news services; development of online pharmacy services and resolution of online disputes.