ECOMMERCE EUROPE

Ecommerce Europe is the association representing 25,000+ companies selling products and/or services online to consumers in Europe. The e-commerce sector is one of the few European industries that has experienced a non-stop double-digit economic growth. The European e-commerce sector holds an accumulated value of approximately €365bn and it is directly and indirectly responsible for more than 2 million jobs in various sectors such as postal delivery and ICT.

Ecommerce’s mission is to advance the interests and influence of e-commerce in Europe through advocacy, communication and networking.

Goals

1. Enhance the success of the European B2C e-commerce industry
2. Provide a strong and effective representation of the B2C e-commerce industry towards European stakeholders
3. Advance the interests of the B2C e-commerce industry with relevant policy makers and other stakeholders
4. Provide in-depth research about the European e-commerce market
5. Break down barriers to cross-border e-commerce

Priority Issues

Internet Security & Privacy: Make the harmonization of legislation for privacy and security top priority without creating additional burdens for the industry.

1. Harmonize privacy and data protection legislation while recognizing the potential of innovation.
2. Move forward with e-identification and authentication.

Consumer Rights : Simplify consumer rules for online purchases and ensure a basis to solve disputes in a simple, fast and low cost manner.

1. Support industry-led Trustmark schemes for B2C e-commerce.
2. Reconsider the means for European contract law.
3. Evaluate the Consumer Rights Directive rapidly.
4. Ensure fast rollout of a common European Online Complaint and Dispute Resolution system.

Competition: Strengthen pan-European action for fair competition which takes a dynamic approach and is focused on entry opportunities for SMEs and start-ups.

1. Stimulate innovation and the entry of new players into the market.
2. Strengthen and fasten pan-European action for fair competition.

 E-Payments : Swiftly conclude the creation of a pan- European framework for online payments which leaves room for innovation at a fair cost.

1. Facilitate interoperability of payment systems between all Member States and all online devices.
2. Stand up for a secure and innovative European payments market.
3. Introduce a risk based approach to securitization to preserve merchants’ business models.
4. Lower payment costs for consumers and retailers/
5. Facilitate SEPA Direct Debit through a pan-European e-mandate.

Taxation/VAT: Create a level playing field through simplified VAT registration and fair taxation policy without administrative burdens for SMEs.

1. Harmonize VAT rates as much as possible (The European Union currently has 75 VAT rates and there is a difference of 10 percentage points between the Member States with the lowest VAT rate - Luxembourg (15%) - and the highest - Sweden and Denmark (25%).
2. Facilitate competition and cross-border trade for SMEs by establishing a common European threshold for the destination principle.
3. Extend Mini-One-Stop-Shop to all goods and services sold online.
4. Ensure a global level playing field by coordinating taxation of the digital economy within the OECD.

 E-Logistics: Stimulate the parcel delivery market to innovate, by harmonizing customs regimes and making their timing more predictable.

1. Work towards an integrated European delivery system.
2. Increase transparency by giving all parties involved access to more information on European delivery.
3. Increase reliability and quality of service of European delivery operations.