Enhancing trust in the digital world - Mariosa Vella Cardona
More legal certainty for businesses and enhanced protection for consumers promise to be the much-awaited outcome of the recently adopted EU laws regulating the supply of digital content and services and the sale of goods.
The supply of digital content was never regulated at EU level, leading to divergences in member states’ legal frameworks in so far as the regulation of these products and services are concerned. The recently adopted EU digital content directive now applies to the supply of digital content and covers a variety of data services. Digital content includes products such as videos, music, software or live sports streaming events. Any data produced and supplied in digital form such as music, services allowing for the creation, processing or storage of data in digital form, such as cloud storage, services allowing for the sharing of data, such as Facebook, and any durable medium used exclusively as a carrier of digital content, such as DVDs, are covered by this law. ‘Over the top’ interpersonal communication services (OTTs), bundle contracts and the processing of personal data are also included within the scope of the directive.
On the other hand, the sale of goods...