Internet and Electronic Commerce Law in the European Union

John Dickie is a legal consultant and a former lecturer in law at the University of Leicester.

Part 1 Introduction: the nature and growth of electronic communication; legal issues in electronic communication; community regulation of electronic commerce; community activity in a global context. Part 2 Financial services and taxation: draft directive on the distance marketing of financial services; draft directives on electronic money institutions; electronic payment systems; paying across borders within the community; connected lender liability; tax law - goods or services?, import and export. Part 3 Draft directive on electronic commerce: establishment and information requirements; commercial communications; electronic contracts; liability of intermediaries; implementation and enforcement; derogations; the advisory committee. Part 4 Cryptography and the draft directive on electronic signatures: functioning of electronic signatures; draft directive on electronic signatures. Part 5 Copyright: introduction; draft directive on copyright in the information society - right of communication to the public, distribution right, exceptions to the restricted acts in articles 2 and 3, technological measures and rights-management information; sanctions and remedies; application over time; amendments to prior directives; condition access services: in general, directive on conditional access services. Part 6 Data protection: introduction; directive on data protection; transfers of data to third countries. Part 7 Commercial communications: commission initiatives; treaty rules on free movement of goods and services; the directive on misleading advertising. Part 8 Consumer protection and conflicts of law: directive on unfair terms in consumer contracts; directive on consumer guarantees; directive on cross-border injunctions; conflicts of law - jurisdiction over contracts; choice of law in contracts; express choice of law; no choice of law clause; jurisdiction over non-contractual disputes. Part 9 The directive on distance contracts: introduction; definitions - "consumer", "distance contract"; exclusions; mandatory nature; prior information; written confirmation of information; right of withdrawal; restrictions on the use of distance communication; enforcement; transposition. Part 10 Conclusions - foci and futures: future directions; a traditional legal framework for electronic commerce or a "brave new world"?; concluding summary. Appendices: Directive 97/7 on the protection of consumers in respect of distance contracts; proposal for a European parliament and council directive on certain legal aspects of electronic commerce in the internal market.