EuroCommerce recommends Directive instead of Regulation on commercial communications
EuroCommerce, the retail, wholesale and international trade representation to the EU, has suggested the Commission adopts a Directive on the harmonisation of commercial communications instead of a Regulation, which it claims may prove burdensome for some businesses, particularly SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises). 'EuroCommerce supports, in principle, the objectives of the Commission of harmonisation in the field of commercial communications,' states the organisation's position paper. The organisation recognises the need for further liberalisation so as to remove obstacles to the functioning of the internal market, but questions the 'appropriateness and the lack of practicability of the current proposal in day-to-day business.' The Commission launched a public consultation in March on the main barriers to eBusiness in business to business (B2B) trade transactions. The Commission is concerned by hesitancy in the business community with regard to these new practices, and is eager to address the lack of trust feeding this hesitancy. The position paper raises the concern that the obligation on businesses to provide information to consumers may put excessive strain on them, particularly SMEs. A Directive would allow more flexibility for implementation at national level. Some members of EuroCommerce question the implementation of the Regulation as it stands because of the absence of Community legislation harmonising fair trading practices in B2B and business to consumer (B2C) relationships. Some members also query the extent to which the information requirements could fulfil the intended purposes of fair competition and consumer protection. The paper outlines reservations regarding the requirement to disclose sensitive commercial information relating to contractual relationships with suppliers.