Business, Freight News

Europe ‘must do more to break down online barriers’

[ February 17, 2015   //   Chris ]

Ecommerce-Europe identified 20 priorities for “breaking down the barriers” in the EU e-commerce sector, including the VAT system and updating the consumer rights and legal framework an ‘Agenda for e-commerce’ on 12 February, ahead of a stakeholders’ meeting on the digital single market in Brussels on 24 February.

Ecommerce-Europe, which represents online 25,000 companies, says that a new requirement for consumers have been required to pay VAT in the country of receipt rather than the sender has imposed burdens on smaller online retailers who have to ascertain VAT rates in all their customers’ countries and has proposed a threshold of €100,000 below which this would not apply. The EU’s economic and financial affairs commission has meanwhile made an alternative suggestion to allow businesses to make a single VAT declaration in their own country.

The Commission is also expected to produce a proposal to increase competition in the delivery sector by the end of 2015 and Ecommerce-Europe is setting up a portal to give for online businesses a better picture of the services available in each country.

Tags: Ecommerce Europe