Business-to-consumer e-commerce: The EU and Australia compared

Consumer transactions account for a large part of e-commerce worldwide, and one of the most important e-commerce markets in the world is the European Union (EU). Focusing on e-commerce, this article analyses the EU's regulation of consumer transactions, and compares it to the regulatory approach taken in Australia.
The article starts by highlighting the significant difference between how Australia and the EU define ‘consumers’. It then examines the most relevant EU instruments and points to similarities and differences with Australian law.