Trade
Revocation in online purchases is made easier
Online purchases are quickly made – to revoke them is often much longer. But that should change according to the will of the federal government.
The Federal Government wants to make it much easier to revoke online purchases and thus strengthen the position of consumers. In the future, providers will have to install an easy -to -find cancellation button on their website. This emerges from a draft law decided by the cabinet, with which EU requirements are implemented.
The button should apply to goods, services and financial services. “The cancellation function must be legibly readable with” revoke the contract “or another equivalent clear wording,” says the draft law. “During the course of the cancellation period, it must be constantly available, highlighted and easily accessible to the consumer during the cancellation period.”
Minister: Revocation must be as easy as ordering on the Internet
Justice and Consumer Protection Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) said this solution made life easier for people. “If ordering is child’s play, it must also be the revocation.” With the button, the revocation is a matter of just a few clicks. “High time that we make this unbureaucratic solution standard. This improves protection against unwanted contracts – and saves time and nerves.”
Financial service providers have to better explain products
The draft law, which still has to go through the Bundestag and the Federal Council, also provides for better consumer rights for financial transactions via the Internet or telephone. In the future, providers of financial services will have to provide their customers appropriately about the products and their consequences. This is intended to ensure that consumers conclude contracts based on a good state of information. Customers can also request direct personal contact.
Eternal right of withdrawal in financial services is abolished
With the new law, the so -called eternal right of withdrawal in contracts for financial services is also abolished. In the future, such a contract should be canceled at most twelve months and 14 days after the conclusion of the contract if consumers have been instructed about the right of withdrawal. In life insurance, the deadline doubles to 24 months and 30 days.
So far, contracts for financial services have been revoked unlimited if a provider had not fully fulfilled its information obligations. According to the ministry, minor violations were enough.
Manipulative online designs are prohibited
When finishing contracts on financial services, consumers should also be better protected against manipulative designs. After a change in the law against unfair competition, also decided by the cabinet, it should be inadmissible in the future, a certain selection that is advantageous for the company to emphasize visually compared to other options. According to the ministry, this should apply in particular to so-called approval buttons. It should also be inadmissible to make a decision that is favorable for consumers otherwise, for example by long online click paths.
dpa
Source: Stern
