Brussels, 16/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - The European Union still has a lot of work ahead of it in the task of facilitating online cross-border trade. This is the message put forward by several commercial operator organisations during roundtable talks at the European Parliament on the retail trade on Monday 15 February.
Janine Tillema, director-general of the SME, Paula's Choice, stated: “Delivery time, consumer trust, communication (language and culture) and local VAT rates are all parameters that impact on companies seeking to start up in cross-border online sales. I don't find it surprising that there are only 7% of them involved in Ecommerce”.
Maurits Bruggink, the secretary general of the European Mail Order Trade Association (EMOTA) said that European VAT rules are a real “nightmare”. He also singled out “contract rights that are still not harmonised” and delivery costs “which are sometimes five times higher than local delivery costs”. He explained that this was therefore leading to geo-blocking, which was not being caused by the business community and that “sometimes, delivery costs are impossible to assume for companies. At other times, it is the bank that refuses because of a banking problem”. He is calling on the EU to create the conditions for European enterprise where they can compete with operators from third countries but which are subject to fewer constraints. Luis Filipe Reis is the head of the Portuguese group, Sonae, and he regrets the fact that delivery rules are still not harmonised.
This debate took part in a context of many different proposals being put forward on the single digital market strategy. It should be pointed out that the European Commission is expected to present a package on consumer rights next May, which should also include proposals on cross-border parcel delivery, geo-blocking and e-commerce. In November, the Commission is also expected to put forward proposals for the revision of the VAT system. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)