EU plans uniform protections for Internet shoppers

Efforts to spur more Europeans to shop online and across national boundaries will be stepped up Wednesday with plans for a new law to guarantee consumer rights across the 27-nation bloc.The proposed legislation would oblige retailers to make product information available before sale, guarantee delivery within a maximum of 30 days and allow a statutory 14-day “cooling-off” period in which purchasers could change their minds.Consumers would also be entitled to full refunds within seven days if goods fail to arrive, and companies would be banned from using some “get-out” clauses allowing them to supply products different from those advertised.
http://iht.com/articles/2008/10/07/technology/esales.php
http://nytimes.com/2008/10/08/business/worldbusiness/08esales.htmlEU to expand e-shoppers’ rights
The European Commission has unveiled proposals to give more rights to consumers shopping online across the borders of the 27-nation EU.The proposals aim to boost online shopping in Europe to allow people to take advantage of cheaper prices during the economic crisis.The commission is asking EU governments to give consumers a two-week cooling-off period to back out of a sale.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7659403.stmEU proposes new rules to protect online shoppers
The European Commission adopted a proposal on Wednesday to strengthen consumer rights and make it easier and safer to shop online across borders.About one-third of the European Union’s consumers, or some 150 million people, already shop on the Internet. But only 30 million of them do it cross-border, and the new rules are intended to encourage more of them to look for goods abroad.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKTRE4978IT20081008