Establishing Consumer Confidence in E-Commerce: A Review of the Legislative Framework in the European Union

Abstract

The growth of e-commerce in any jurisdiction cannot be divorced from the confidence of consumers in the system. Lack of confidence in the system can be directly related to ambiguity surrounding consumer rights, where there is a perceived lacuna in the law. To boost confidence in the system, especially in the area of consumer protection and clarity in consumer rights, certain underlying issues must be addressed. The question on whether EU legislation provides sufficient clarity and protection for consumers reveals the existence of many inhibitions in online transactions that affects consumers’ confidence. The aim of this article is to examine to what extent, extant laws addresses these issues affecting consumer confidence and consumer protection. This article will focus on how certain EU legislations responds to these inhibitions. Major issues plaguing consumer confidence as pointed out by the EU include but not limited to rising cybercrime, low trust in networks, lack of digital literacy and skills shall be analyzed in this Article.