About one third of the population of the European Union, around 150 million, shop online, but only 30 million shop outside their country’s borders. The European Commission aims to remove barriers to cross-border trade in goods and services in order to strengthen competition, ensure a larger market, and lower prices for consumers.
At a time when household budgets are heavily burdened and purchasing power is one of the main concerns of citizens, it is more important than ever to enable consumers to compare prices and seek the best offers, said Commissioner for Consumer Protection Meglena Kuneva. According to the EC’s proposals, consumers must be provided with clear information about prices and additional costs before they sign a purchase contract. Consumers will also be able to protect themselves against delays in the delivery of goods, have the right to return goods they are not satisfied with, and request a refund. Traders will have to deliver goods to the customer within a maximum of 30 days from the signing of the contract and bear the costs of any damage or loss of the product until it is received by the customer. (HRT)
