This collection of essays by well-known specialists drawn from academe and practice in e-commerce and internet law, analyzes recent crucial European legislation which attempts to set up a legal regime for e-commerce. The central focus is the key provisions of the EC E-Commerce Directive as implemented in the UK in August 2002—thus far the most important European contribution to the development of e-strategy and e-business. After a scene-setting general overview of EU regulation of e-commerce, other areas covered include e-contracting, ISP liability, spam, country of origin regulation, and ADR. Further chapters discuss other new pieces of legislation in this domain, including the new Privacy Directive, the Distance Selling Directives, how disability legislation affects the web, the extension of VAT to on-line sales, and how DP legislation is being enforced on the web. In each case both the European framework and the rules as implemented in the UK are examined and critiqued for their efficacy in meeting the needs of business and consumers.
Author(s): Lilian Edwards
Year: 2005
Language: English
Pages: 521
Half Title Page......Page 1
Title Page......Page 3
Title verso......Page 4
Preface......Page 5
Contents......Page 11
Contributor Biographies......Page 14
Table of Cases......Page 19
Part I: The Electronic Commerce Directive......Page 25
1. Article 3, ECD: Internal Market Clause International Private Law, Consumers and the Net: A Confusing Maze or a Smooth Path Towards a Single European Market?......Page 27
A. Meaning and Scope of ‘Country of Origin’ Regulation in the ECD......Page 30
B. The ECD and the ‘Fudge’ on Questions of Applicable Law......Page 31
C. The UK Regulations......Page 34
D. The Derogation for Consumers......Page 36
E. The Smooth Path to the Single European Market: Alternative Routes......Page 50
F. Conclusion......Page 53
2. Articles 6-7, ECD; Privacy and Electronic Communications Directive 2002 Canning the Spam and Cutting the Cookies: Consumer Privacy On-line and the EU Regulation......Page 55
A. Spam......Page 56
B. Why is Spam a Problem, and Whose Problem is it?......Page 59
C. Spam Law Prior to the E-Commerce Directive: The Data Protection Directive, the Distance Selling Directive and the Telecoms Data Protection Directive......Page 65
D. The Electronic Commerce Directive......Page 69
E. The Privacy and ElectronicCommunications Directive 2002......Page 70
F. Assessment of Legal Solutions to Spam, andAlternative Solutions to Spam......Page 72
G. What Next?......Page 83
3. Articles 9-11, ECD Contracting Electronically in the Shadow of the E-Commerce Directive......Page 91
A. Background—Why did We Need Articles 9–11 of the E-Commerce Directive?......Page 94
B. Planning E-Contracts in Europe: Drafting the ECD......Page 98
C. Adopting E-Contracts in Europe: The ECD Dir.2000/31/EC......Page 102
D. Implementing E-Contracts in the UK......Page 107
E. Conclusion: What Does This Mean for E-Contracts in the UK?......Page 112
A. Introduction: The E-Commerce Directive (ECD) and ISPs, IAPs, ISSPs and Intermediary Service Providers......Page 117
B. Key Areas of Concern in Internet Intermediary Liability......Page 120
C. Policy Issues in Constructing Legal Regimes for Intermediary Liability......Page 125
D. Approaches to Regulating ISP Liability......Page 130
E. Hosting, Notice and Take Down: The Self Regulation Conundrum......Page 137
F. Hosting and Linking......Page 149
G. Local Rules, Global Publication:The EC Intermediary Regime and ‘Country of Origin’ Rules......Page 150
H. The Fall and Rise of Intermediary Liability......Page 153
1. Introduction......Page 161
2. European Initiatives in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and On-line Dispute Resolution (ODR)......Page 162
3. On-line Dispute Resolution (ODR)......Page 166
4. Forms of ADR......Page 167
5. Features of ODR: Due Process, Enforceability, Security, Confidentiality and Costs......Page 173
6. ODR vs Traditional Litigation: The View from Scotland......Page 182
7. Intersettle: A Case Study from Scotland......Page 186
8. Conclusions: What Future for Lawyers and ODR?......Page 189
Part II: Other European and UK E-Commerce Legislation......Page 195
Introduction......Page 197
1. Electronic Money......Page 198
2. Reasons for Implementation......Page 206
4. Case Study: PayPal as an EMI......Page 220
5. Conclusion......Page 225
A. Introduction......Page 227
B. The Nature of VAT on Cross Border Supplies of Goods and Services......Page 228
C. Potential for Distortion......Page 233
D. The Response of the EU......Page 235
E. Place of Supply......Page 237
F. Obligation to Register in the EU......Page 250
G. Problems with the Above Arrangements......Page 253
H. Are Things Likely to Get Better?......Page 255
I. Conclusion......Page 258
Appendix - VAT Gommittee Guidelines......Page 260
A. Introduction......Page 263
B. The Distance Selling Directive......Page 265
C. Implementation......Page 284
D. Distance Marketing of Financial Services, Directive 2002/65/EC of 23 September 2002......Page 287
E. Implementation......Page 299
9. Telecommunications (Lawful Business Practice) (Interception of Communications) Regulations 2000 Workplace Surveillance, Privacy and New Technologies......Page 301
B. Why Do Employers Monitor?......Page 302
C. Unlawful Monitoring: Overview of the Pitfalls......Page 303
D. Method of Monitoring......Page 312
E. Conclusion......Page 313
A. What is Web Accessibility?......Page 315
B. The American Approach......Page 318
C. Australia—Maguire v SOCOG......Page 324
D. The Disability Discrimination Act......Page 328
E. Summary......Page 341
Appendix 1......Page 343
Appendix 2......Page 359
Appendix 3......Page 371
Appendix 4......Page 397
Appendix 5......Page 409
Appendix 6......Page 431
Appendix 7......Page 437
Appendix 8......Page 449
Appendix 9......Page 453
Appendix 10......Page 457
Appendix 11......Page 469
Appendix 12......Page 479
Appendix 13......Page 499
Appendix 14......Page 525
Appendix 15......Page 529
Index......Page 539
