EU Directive on Consumer Rights

Introduction date

Latest consultation closes 2 Feb 2009

Summary

Following consultation on a Green Paper (to May 2007), the EU Commission has adopted a proposal for a Directive on Consumer Rights.

The proposal aims to ensure a high level of consumer protection, making it easier and less costly for traders to sell cross border and providing consumers with a larger choice and competitive prices. The Directive will merge four existing Directives (Sale of Goods and Associated Guarantees 99/44/EC, Unfair Contract Terms 93/13/EEC, Distance Selling 97/7/EC and Doorstep Selling 85/577/EEC) into one set of rules.

At the same time, it will update and modernise existing consumer rights, bringing them in line with technological change (m-commerce, online auctions) and strengthening provisions in the key areas where consumers have experienced problems in recent years - particularly in sales negotiated away from business premises (eg door-to-door selling).

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) is consulting on the EU proposal, raising a number of general and more specific issues for consideration.