The European Commission is under fire from MEP's for their newly enforced Brussels Regulation which is stated to contradict the current European e-commerce directive. This is supposed to enforce the law of the country of the e-tailers origin for internet-based purchases and instead allows consumers to sue an e-tailer under the law of the country in which the consumer lives.

Basically, this means that a UK consumer purchasing from Germany can sue the e-tailer under UK law, however the legislation means that this could lead to e-businesses becoming reluctant to trade outside of their country of origin for fear of legal difficulties in foreign countries.

By maintaining the European e-commerce directive would have meant that e-tailers could only be sued in the country the business is registered in. This new Brussels Regulation will mean that all 15-member countries will have to abide by the legislation.