Europe e-commerce initiative

The European Commission has launched a network of online helpdesks aimed at helping consumers solve cross-border e-commerce disputes.

The European Union-wide helpdesk is a response to the growth of cross-border transactions via the internet and the difficulties in regulating e-commerce purchases.

The EEJ-net network will give consumers information and advice on how they can try and settle small disputes over goods and service out of court.

"Problems over deliveries, defective products, or products that do not fit their description should be dealt with by a single one-stop shop national contact point, or 'clearing house' in each member state," the Commission said.

It is an important milestone to give consumers an effective means of resolving cross-border conflicts

EU Consumer Affairs Commissioner David Byrne

Consumers will find information on how to make claims in the country where the product supplier is based, the Commission said.

Milestone

EU Consumer Affairs Commissioner David Byrne said the network marked "an important milestone to give consumers access to simple low-cost and effective means of resolving cross-border conflicts".

He urged EU members to have the system in place and working by the second half of the year.

Under EEJ-Net, a UK consumer who, for example, had a claim against a trader in another EU member state would be able to approach the UK clearing house, which would obtain information from its opposite number in the other country about any suitable out of court scheme operating there.

The UK clearing house would advise the consumer about making a claim, which could be sent to the clearing house in the other country or direct to the dispute resolution body.

In a separate statement also aimed at improving consumer confidence, the Commission said it was looking at ways of fighting computer crime following the damage caused by Thursday's Love Bug virus.

The Commission aims to improve cooperation between national law enforcement authorities and it underlined the need for effective security measures.

"The Love Bug is a warning to us all that security must be given top priority if consumer and user confidence is to be maintained as we move into the information age," IT commissioner Erkki Liikanen said.