Update on e-regulations working group of Ecommerce Europe

1. © Ecommerce Europe www.ecommerce-europe.eu
Presentation and discussion Arbeitskreis Recht
Händlerbund
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e-Regulations
Léon Mölenberg
Senior Policy Advisor of Ecommerce Europe

2. © Ecommerce Europe
Introductory presentation to the Arbeitskreis Recht Händlerbund
on the e-Regulations Working Committee
Léon Mölenberg, Senior Policy Advisor Ecommerce Europe Leipzig, 30 September

3. © Ecommerce Europe www.ecommerce-europe.eu
The VOICE of the e-commerce industry in the European
policy landscape
Representing 25.000+ companies through lobbying,
advocacy and networking
Ecommerce Europe
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18 National associations
36 Company members
36 Business partners
515 Registered web shops

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About Ecommerce Europe
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Audrey Keukens
Secretary General a.i.
Stefanie Ros
Policy Advisor
Luca Cassetti
Policy Advisor
Léon Mölenberg
Senior Policy
Advisor
The team in Brussels 3 Working Committees Board of Directors & Executive Committee
o e-Regulations
o e-Payments
o e-Logistics (working group)

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• Research reports
• Survey “Barriers to Growth”
• European Trustmark
• Ecommerce Europe Annual Conference
Focus on projects
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Your one stop shop for all e-commerce related matters

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Unlock the potential of cross-
border e-commerce in Europe
Mission Ecommerce Europe
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• Ecommerce Europe Working
Committees’ participants flag issues
• Ecommerce Europe translates these into
lobbying priorities
• Ecommerce Europe collaborates with
stakeholders to get message across
How does that work?
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Advocacy and Lobbying
80% of national legislations come from Brussels
Impact on national and local economic actors
Necessity to influence policy framework starting from Brussels
Unlock the potential of cross-border e-commerce
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The importance of lobbying next to market solutions

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Ecommerce Europe
Other stakeholders
National associations
Lobbying targets
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European Commission
Council of the European
Union
European Parliament

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Dealing with a broad range of different topics. Current main
priorities are:
1. Data Protection and e-Privacy
2. Consumer policies
3. Competition issues
4. VAT and Taxation issues
The e-Regulations Working Committee
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Main topics

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Key messages of Ecommerce Europe:
• Harmonize privacy and data protection legislations while recognizing the potential of
innovation
• Recognize the need for electronic communication and the possibilities of data-driven
marketing in the business model of online merchants
Most recent actions:
• Draft amendments ahead of the launch of trialogue negotiations of DPR of June
• Ongoing lobbying cooperation with the ICDP (Industry Coalition for Data Protection)
• Upcoming new Position Paper on Data Protection and e-Privacy
The e-Regulations Working Committee
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1. Data Protection and e-Privacy

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Key messages of Ecommerce Europe:
• Evaluate the Consumer Rights Directive (CRD) rapidly
• Simplify consumer rules
• Fully harmonize legal framework for the sale of goods, services and digital content
• Support for industry-led Trustmark schemes for B2C e-commerce
Most recent actions:
• Answer to EU Commission’s public consultation on contract rules for online purchases
of digital content and tangible goods
• Start our own evaluation of the CRD
• Participate in ODR platform tests
• Upcoming new Consumer Policies Position Paper
The e-Regulations Working Committee
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2. Consumer policies

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Key messages of Ecommerce Europe:
• Recognize economic freedom and freedom of entrepreneurial activity for a balanced
approach towards differentiation
• Geo-blocking can be justified IF there are objective reasons for doing so
• Stimulate innovation and the entry of new players into the market
• Strengthen and fasten pan-European action for fair competition
Most recent actions:
• Carefully monitor EU Commission’s antitrust inquiry in e-commerce
• Carefully monitor upcoming EU Commission’s public consultation on online platforms
• Upcoming new Competition Position Paper
The e-Regulations Working Committee
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3. Competition issues

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Key messages of Ecommerce Europe:
• Extend the Mini One stop Shop (MOSS) to all (tangible) goods and services sold online
to consumers
• Establish a common European exemption threshold for the destination principle
• Harmonize VAT rates as much as possible
• Harmonized EU VAT system in the long-term
Most recent actions:
• Participate in and give a presentation on VAT-related barriers to cross-border e-
commerce at EU Commission’s Fiscalis Seminar in Dublin (Sept. 2015)
• Answer to upcoming EU Commission’s public consultation on VAT rules (end September
2015)
The e-Regulations Working Committee
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4. Taxation issues

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Thank you!
Questions? info@ecommerce-europe.eu or Twitter: @Ecommerce_EU