The European legal framework regarding e-commerce

The year 2000 is a memorable year in the history of e-commerce. This is the year of the so-called 'dot.com shake-out'. The year 2000 is also the year the European Union issued its e-commerce directive. The directive means to regulate but also facilitate e-commerce in the internal market, by laying down a clear and general legal framework favourable for business organisations, but also protecting the interests of consumers.Notwithstanding this admirable aim, the reactions to the e-commerce directive were not entirely positive. It has been referred to as a 'legal minefield' and accused of causing more problems than it solves.The point of departure for this work is the e-commerce directive. As the directive is a framework directive, it cannot be considered in isolation. Therefore, six related legal texts that are of particular relevance for e-commerce are addressed. This work aims to describe the consequences of this European legal framework for business organisations involved with e-commerce. Additionally, a legal checklist that can assist business organisations in assessing whether or not they comply with the legal norms is presented.