Buying Electronic Goods Online-- EU Sites Make Significant Compliance Improvements

In 2009 only 44% of tested sites selling electronic goods complied with EU consumer law. Today, however, nearly 84% of sites are classified as compliant. This 40% improvement is largely attributed to increased EU Health and Consumer Commission sweeps. The principal problems included failure to provide required ifnromation about consumer rights, failure to provice sufficient information about price, and the lack of vendor contact information. The Commission's next target will be to improve compliance for non-electronic good sales, such as the sale of cultural and sports tickets.

Source: EUROPEAN UNION: Consumers: Most Internet Sites Now Safe to Buy Electronic Goods, Inetrnet Business Law Services, Sept. 19, 2010, available at
http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=sa&id=1974

(From the EU Consumer Affairs Division:

An "EU sweep" is an action co-ordinated by the European Commission, and carried out simultaneously by the national consumer enforcement authorities in the Member States, Norway and Iceland. In a given week each year, consumer authorities check hundreds of sites in a particular sector in order to see where consumer rights are being compromised or denied. When they find that a website does not comply with EU consumer law, they then contact the operator and ask for corrective action. Those who fail to correct illegal practices can face fines or be ordered to close their websites.)