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The Single Market places a world of opportunity at the fingertips of both consumers and companies. Yet in practice it is not always easy to make the most of these chances. Companies and consumers need to be aware of diverse issues such as VAT duties, consumer protection, data protection, cross-border payment systems etc. For consumers, having access to a wider range of goods and services at more competitive prices is a huge benefit of e-commerce. All too often, however, you are redirected to the website of your country of origin, youre not given access to all of the offers, your foreign bank card is refused, or delivery costs are too high, and you just dont know where to turn in case of problems. For cultural offerings such as films or music, what is on offer legally is often insufficient, and you are sometimes prevented from downloading films or music in another EU country. Why do these obstacles exist in a Single Market? What can be done to reduce them? After all, EU law already forbids discrimination based on nationality or country of residence, which should make cross-border purchases and payments easier and provide dispute resolution mechanisms. One example of persistent problems encountered with e-commerce transactions across the EU is that of delivery. The postage costs are often high, and how would you return a package if the product did not meet your needs? Wouldnt you like to pay less for delivery between two neighbouring countries, receive your packages quicker when you buy online, and be informed when your package is due to arrive? We would like to hear your ideas on these and other topics in order to improve EU policy. Another example of Internet activity to which EU protection extends is social media. For citizens across the EU, communicating with friends and family on social media is a part of daily life. Do you share thoughts, photos etc on online platforms? EU law exists to protect your private data from abusive use, as well as to protect individual liberties and ensure respect for the law. Are these the right laws in your view? Should the EU do more or less to offer protection to citizens on the Internet?
Join in the debate on e-commerce between 14 and 16 October and have your voice heard.