Guarantee law for online trade (Directive)

The planned Directive is an initial step towards full harmonisation of consumer protection law – required in order to complete the internal market. It is however limited to broad areas of guarantee law and leaves out other important areas of contract law such as limitation periods. Since the Directive does not create full-harmonisation of the sale of goods law, it is, in cep's view, doubtful whether it will in fact promote online trade. Furthermore, the Directive unjustifiably fragments national law by restricting the scope of the Directive to distance sales and thus distorts competition.