EU to tear down cross-border Web shopping barriers

By Huw Jones

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's consumer chief will propose new rules to make it easier and safer for the bloc's 490 million consumers to shop online in any corner of the 27-nation EU.

Some 150 million EU citizens turn to websites such as Amazon.com and EBay for shopping but only 30 million buy goods and services from another EU state, spending on average 800 euros (630 pounds) a head.

"This autumn I will propose new legislation to cut back the current jungle of complex laws. I will table a simplified common set of rules for business to consumer contracts across the EU," EU Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva said.

She will also start work on EU rules to stamp out unfair commercial practices in online retailing.

Kuneva wants a more consistent approach to rights and practices, from cooling-off periods to guarantees.

"A single, simple set of core rights and obligations will make it easier for consumers and business to buy and sell across Europe," Kuneva said in a speech in London and made available to the media.

Past efforts to harmonise consumer rules such as on consumer credit have proved a time-consuming minefield as some states battle to avoid dilution or a toughening of national regulations.

"This will be maximum harmonisation so that the same rights apply everywhere without giving the possibility for member states to go beyond what's proposed," said Nuria Rodriguez, a legal officer at pan-EU consumer lobby BEUC.