Digital

Broadcasting & Digital [EU]

Broadcasting The Audio-Visual Media Services Directive underpins the single market in broadcasting. It covers both traditional broadcast and on-demand services. It sets minimum regulatory standards that states and national regulators must implement. It aims to preserve cultural diversity; protect children protect consumers; safeguard media pluralism; combat racial and religious hatred; and guarantee the independence of national regulators. The Directive employs the country of origin principle. […]

Privacy & Communications [EU]

Data Protection Law The EU has been central in promoting data protection laws. The EU data protection directive applies to data processed by an automated means such as a computer or contained in or intended to be part of a non-automated filing system such as traditional paper filing. It does not cover processing in the context of household or personal activities. Also excluded are certain […]

Electronic Communications Services [EU]

Independent Regulation and Competition The EU has sought to introduce competition into the provision of electronic communications. The liberalisation also extends to directories, telephone enquiries, frequencies, TV, satellites and cable networks. A regulatory framework for electronic communications has been established. The principal purpose is to facilitate market entry. The EU rules establish a harmonized framework for the regulation of e-commerce networks and services. Member states […]

E-Privacy

Unsolicited Communications to (Persons) I A person shall not use or cause to be used any publicly available electronic communications service to send to a subscriber or user who is a natural person an unsolicited communication for the purpose of direct marketing by means of— an automated calling machine, a facsimile machine, or electronic mail, unless the person has been notified by that subscriber or […]

Distance Contracts [EU]

EU Consumer Rights Directive The Consumer Rights Directive 2011 modifies and supplements the law set out in the earlier Distance Selling and Doorstep Contracts Regulations. There are five principal categories of transaction to which the regulations are applicable; contracts for the sale of goods; contracts for the supply of services; contracts for the supply of digital content in an intangible medium; contracts for the supply […]

Information Society Services [EU]

Directive on Information Society Services The EU Directive on e-commerce facilitates the sale of goods and supply of services over the internet within the EU. It is designed to contribute to the proper functioning of the internal EU market by ensuring free movement of \”information society services\” between member states. The Directive covers online activity such as online information, advertising, online shopping and online contracting. […]

E-Commerce [EU]

Overview E-Commerce is business conducted over the internet. For the most part, the general legal rules apply to E-Commerce. The law of contract, the Sale of Goods Act and the consumer protection rules apply in the same broad way, as they apply to conventional transactions. In the early part of the century, a number of pieces of legislation were passed to facilitate and ensure legal […]

GDPR & Data Protection [EU]

Data Protection Legislation and Reform Data protection law restricts the collection, storage and use of personal data. Personal data is that which concerns a living person. The objective is to protect privacy and to restrict the use of information to legitimate purposes. Personal data must be collected for specified explicit and legitimate purposes and must not be processed in a way, incompatible with those purposes. […]