Key Changes For E-commerce Platforms Operating In The EU

On 7 January 2020, the European Commission adopted the “Omnibus Directive” (Directive(EU) 2019/2161, the “Regulation”), which must be implemented by Member States as of 28 May 2022. The regulation package amends existing European Union (EU) directives and is part of the so-called “New Deal for Consumers”, an EU-wide initiative aimed at modernizing consumer laws and protecting online consumers.

EU and non-EU-based online platforms offering products, services, or digital content to consumers must comply with the new requirements. With approximately 7,000 online platforms falling into the scope of the Regulation ¹, the rules are expected to have a major impact on the online platform economy in the EU and worldwide.