A Comissária Europeia do Consumidor, Meglena Kuneva, mostrou-se preocupada com a actual desarmonização da legislação relativa ao comércio electrónico na Europa.
Ao contrário do comércio electrónico em geral que tem vindo a apresentar números promissores, o comércio electrónico transfronteiriço tem números muito reduzidos. Facto é que tal comércio além-fronteiras é um caminho fundamental para prosseguir o verdadeiro mercado único. Como tal, a comissária apresentou algumas propostas no sentido da harmonização das legislações europeias no campo do direito do consumidor, nomeadamente quanto à taxa sobre produtos electrónicos por compensação da cópia privada. A governante reconhece que esta solução se impõe por ser vital para a confiança dos consumidores no comércio electrónico, nomeadamente no que concerne aos negócios com fornecedores de diferente país de origem. Quando os consumidores tiverem tal confiança poderão livremente comparar preços e comprar onde lhe for mais conveniente (fazendo uso de um mercado único de facto).
A Comissária Kuneva ainda admite outras preocupações, como as práticas abusivas, que online abundam - como opções (de interesse dúbio para o consumidor) pré-marcadas, bem como a difícil percepção da origem de serviços ou produtos e os anúncios virais.
Por fim, a comissária búlgara demonstra preocupação com a recolha de dados pessoais, que muitas vezes acontece sem a autorização do consumidor.
Aqui fica um pequeno resumo da intervenção da comissária:
"1. Opening up the Internal Market through e-commerce
Increasing Trust
(...) a maze of different rights and practices, from cooling off periods to guarantees that are as unclear to consumers as they are confusing for business. A single, simple set of core rights and obligations will make it easier for consumers and business to buy and sell across Europe.
(...)
Removing unnecessary barriers to the Internal Market online
(...) already 56% of EU citizens that have access to internet use it for shopping.(...)
We must reflect on the pertinence of restrictions imposed by suppliers to distribution over the internet.
(...) there is no place in Europe's Single Market for artificial geographical restrictions which hold consumers back within national borders. (...)
The new Services Directive clearly eliminates for the first time discrimination based on the consumer place of residence for services. This is just a start. We will need to address in a similar way discrimination in the market for goods. (...)
I would also urge business and consumer organisations to develop price comparison sites that compare prices(...)
I would like to note that the price of many electronic goods is strongly determined by the copyright levies imposed on them. These levies are meant to compensate copyright owners for consumer behaviour that harms their economic interest. But at present, there is no transparency for consumers about what they are paying and what they are paying if for. The fact is that they are paying multiple times for
something many will never do, that is make private copies of content on any number of platforms using any number of hardware. Copyright owners are entitled to reasonable compensation. But basic considerations of fairness call for transparency and a link between the actual harm and the amount of the levies. I question if in reality this link currently exists. The level of levies currently varies widely by country and there is little legal clarity for traders as to what levies apply to items purchased or sold cross border. The European Commission is now starting a process to rationalize the system of copyright levies in the EU.
(...)
2. Unfair Commercial Practices Online
(...)
The use of pre-checked boxes for the purchases of costly options is an example.
(...) there is a reason these boxes are pre-checked and it is not customer convenience.
(...) is not always clear online when a published item is commercially sponsored.(...)
Viral ads that spread using individuals' social networks and the nature of communications on social websites pose similar new challenges. (...)
The Digital User Guide to be issued by the European Commission this year will clarify existing consumer rights in the digital space.
(...)
3. Privacy and data collection
(...) there are some concerns that the amounts of personal data collected over the internet without the awareness of users, let alone their consent, is getting too large and a bit out of control. (...)
The European Data Protection Supervisor has stated that our current legislation requires explicit consent each time personal data is collected. The reality on internet is far removed from these principles."
A Comissária promete soluções já para o Outono: -a harmonização da legislação e a publicação do Guia do Utilizador Digital.
Normalmente o Verão passa a correr, por isso não devemos ter de esperar muito para ver que armas a Dra. Kuneva consegue apresentar.
Ver a intervenção completa.
Ver artigo do Out-Law.
Ao contrário do comércio electrónico em geral que tem vindo a apresentar números promissores, o comércio electrónico transfronteiriço tem números muito reduzidos. Facto é que tal comércio além-fronteiras é um caminho fundamental para prosseguir o verdadeiro mercado único. Como tal, a comissária apresentou algumas propostas no sentido da harmonização das legislações europeias no campo do direito do consumidor, nomeadamente quanto à taxa sobre produtos electrónicos por compensação da cópia privada. A governante reconhece que esta solução se impõe por ser vital para a confiança dos consumidores no comércio electrónico, nomeadamente no que concerne aos negócios com fornecedores de diferente país de origem. Quando os consumidores tiverem tal confiança poderão livremente comparar preços e comprar onde lhe for mais conveniente (fazendo uso de um mercado único de facto).A Comissária Kuneva ainda admite outras preocupações, como as práticas abusivas, que online abundam - como opções (de interesse dúbio para o consumidor) pré-marcadas, bem como a difícil percepção da origem de serviços ou produtos e os anúncios virais.
Por fim, a comissária búlgara demonstra preocupação com a recolha de dados pessoais, que muitas vezes acontece sem a autorização do consumidor.
Aqui fica um pequeno resumo da intervenção da comissária:
"1. Opening up the Internal Market through e-commerce
Increasing Trust
(...) a maze of different rights and practices, from cooling off periods to guarantees that are as unclear to consumers as they are confusing for business. A single, simple set of core rights and obligations will make it easier for consumers and business to buy and sell across Europe.
(...)
Removing unnecessary barriers to the Internal Market online
(...) already 56% of EU citizens that have access to internet use it for shopping.(...)
We must reflect on the pertinence of restrictions imposed by suppliers to distribution over the internet.
(...) there is no place in Europe's Single Market for artificial geographical restrictions which hold consumers back within national borders. (...)
The new Services Directive clearly eliminates for the first time discrimination based on the consumer place of residence for services. This is just a start. We will need to address in a similar way discrimination in the market for goods. (...)
I would also urge business and consumer organisations to develop price comparison sites that compare prices(...)
I would like to note that the price of many electronic goods is strongly determined by the copyright levies imposed on them. These levies are meant to compensate copyright owners for consumer behaviour that harms their economic interest. But at present, there is no transparency for consumers about what they are paying and what they are paying if for. The fact is that they are paying multiple times for
something many will never do, that is make private copies of content on any number of platforms using any number of hardware. Copyright owners are entitled to reasonable compensation. But basic considerations of fairness call for transparency and a link between the actual harm and the amount of the levies. I question if in reality this link currently exists. The level of levies currently varies widely by country and there is little legal clarity for traders as to what levies apply to items purchased or sold cross border. The European Commission is now starting a process to rationalize the system of copyright levies in the EU.
(...)
2. Unfair Commercial Practices Online
(...)
The use of pre-checked boxes for the purchases of costly options is an example.
(...) there is a reason these boxes are pre-checked and it is not customer convenience.
(...) is not always clear online when a published item is commercially sponsored.(...)
Viral ads that spread using individuals' social networks and the nature of communications on social websites pose similar new challenges. (...)
The Digital User Guide to be issued by the European Commission this year will clarify existing consumer rights in the digital space.
(...)
3. Privacy and data collection
(...) there are some concerns that the amounts of personal data collected over the internet without the awareness of users, let alone their consent, is getting too large and a bit out of control. (...)
The European Data Protection Supervisor has stated that our current legislation requires explicit consent each time personal data is collected. The reality on internet is far removed from these principles."
A Comissária promete soluções já para o Outono: -a harmonização da legislação e a publicação do Guia do Utilizador Digital.
Normalmente o Verão passa a correr, por isso não devemos ter de esperar muito para ver que armas a Dra. Kuneva consegue apresentar.
Ver a intervenção completa.
Ver artigo do Out-Law.
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