New rules for digital contracts, 17 February 2016 (JURI)

The Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) of the European Parliament in association with the Policy Department held a Workshop on 'New rules for digital contracts' with EU national Parliaments on 17 February 2016.

The Workshop brought together JURI MEPs and Members of the EU national Parliaments with academics and experts in three sessions: 'Scope of application and general approach of the new rules for contracts in the digital environment', 'Conformity, lack of conformity and remedies in contracts' and 'Modification and termination of contracts'.

The workshop followed the presentation by the Commissioners of two proposals adopted on 9 December 2015, one for the online sale of tangible goods and the other for the online sale of digital content, aiming at better protecting consumers who shop online across the European Union. First, a directive on certain aspects concerning contracts for the supply of digital content, and second, a proposal for a directive on certain aspects concerning contracts for the online and other distance sales of goods(COM (2015)0634 and COM(2015)0635). In the context of its Digital Single Market Strategy of May 2015, the Commission had announced to come up with a revised proposal for the former "Common European Sales Law". The input and position of EU national Parliaments in framing the new EU legislation in this field is vital.

In 2014, 50% of EU consumers shopped online, rising from 30% in 2007. With an average annual growth rate of 22%, online retail sales of tangible goods surpassed EUR 200 billion in 2014, reaching a share of 7% of total retail in the EU-28. The Commission highlights that this economic potential would be further unleashed by removing barriers. Also markets of digital content products are growing rapidly. For instance, the applications("app") sector in the EU has grown significantly in less than five years, and is expected to contribute EUR 63 billion to the EU economy by 2018. Consumer spending in the video game sector is estimated at 16 billion EUR in 2013. In the music industry, digital revenues now represent 31% of total revenue in the EU. Removing barriers due to contract law differences should bring an overall benefit to the European economy.

The meeting took place on Wednesday, 17 February 2016, from 16:00 to 18:30, at the JAN 2Q2 room of the European Parliament in Brussels.