Monday 14 October will mark the opening of the fourth and final round of live, interactive online debates – this time on e-commerce – between citizens, businesses, organisations, and policy makers in the framework of Single Market Month. This is an opportunity for citizens and stakeholders to make proposals for the future of the EU, and to debate these proposals online, in real time, with other citizens, stakeholders, officials and leaders, and experts from all over Europe.
The Commission is again taking to the web in order to involve citizens and civil society groups in its policy agenda. The online forum offers stakeholders a unique and immediate line of communication to Brussels policymakers. Throughout Single Market Month, the forum has been hosting successive debates on four themes: Jobs, Social Rights, Banks, and e-Commerce, in all 24 EU languages.
Commissioner for Internal Market and Services Michel Barnier said: “Buying, selling and communicating on-line brings many opportunities to businesses and consumers. However, many obstacles remain: it can be tricky for online sellers to know their duties in terms of VAT and data protection, for example. Meanwhile, online shoppers all too often find that they are redirected to the website of their country of origin where they do not have access to the same offers, or that their foreign bank card is refused at the point of payment. I invite everybody to highlight such obstacles and put forward their suggestions for improvements in the coming days. I firmly believe that ideas from the ground are a source of inspiration for us here in Brussels when it comes to identifying remaining barriers in the Single Market and where the EU has to act to make their lives easier.” Here to read more.
