Consumers International and BEUC team up on consumer trust in international e-commerce: the link between our digital and trade agendas – message from Amanda and Monique

Both BEUC and Consumers International members are active to promote the consumer interest in the digital transformation of our markets, and both umbrella organisations have an ambitious digital agenda. In this context, the explosion of consumer uptake of e-commerce is a significant development.

While many countries, as well as the EU, aim at promoting consumer trust by setting consumer protection rules in the area of e-commerce, these rules can lose their whole impact when it comes to global e-commerce, i.e. a consumer from one country buying from a website in another country. A lot of different situations may arise, leading to a lack of clarity and to protection gaps. In parallel, under corporate pressure, several WTO (World Trade Organization) members envisage to negotiate an international agreement on e-commerce. This could happen in the coming months and would condition how any future regulation could be framed at national level. For instance, how to deal with security of online payments, safety of products sold online, return of defective goods, protection of personal data, dispute resolution, etc.

Consumers International and BEUC have a unique opportunity to influence the global agenda towards a consumer-centric e-commerce framework at the WTO public forum in Geneva, in October. BEUC and Consumers International will, on basis of surveys carried out with members from around the EU and the globe, prepare on the one hand a chart of the different (non) problematic international e-commerce situations a consumer might find him or herself in, and on the other hand a checklist of what needs to be included in the WTO agenda for e-commerce for it to boost consumer trust.

We will work together with our members in order to push this checklist in the different trade deals that the EU is currently negotiating (Australia, New-Zealand) and will negotiate in the future. You can view the draft checklist below. For any further information, please contact Lailah Nesbitt-Ahmed (LNesbitt-Ahmed@consint.org).

View Checklist