Fernabsatzrichtlinie

The Fernabsatzrichtlinie, often translated as the Distance Selling Directive, was a European Union directive that aimed to protect consumers when making purchases remotely, such as online, by mail order, or over the phone. Its primary goal was to establish a consistent set of consumer rights across all member states, ensuring a high level of protection regardless of where the consumer resided within the EU.

Key provisions of the directive included a mandatory cooling-off period, typically 14 days, during which consumers could cancel a contract without penalty and for any reason. This period generally began from the day the goods were received or the service contract was concluded. Consumers were also entitled to clear and comprehensive information about the seller, the goods or services, pricing, delivery, and their cancellation rights before making a purchase. Sellers were required to provide this information in writing or in a durable medium accessible to the consumer.

Furthermore, the Fernabsatzrichtlinie stipulated that consumers should not be charged for goods or services they did not order. It also addressed issues related to returns and refunds, ensuring that consumers could obtain a refund for returned goods, excluding specific circumstances. The directive was later repealed and replaced by the Consumer Rights Directive (Directive 2011/83/EU) in 2014, which consolidated and strengthened many of the principles originally established by the Fernabsatzrichtlinie.