Protection of consumer rights under distance contracts

Abstract

The article is devoted to studying the state of legal regulation of consumer protection under distance contracts in Ukraine and its compliance with the law of the European Union. In doing so, the author analyses current Ukrainian legislation, international legal acts and the views of other researchers on this issue. Based on the analysis of scientific literature and current legislation, the article studies the current state of legal regulation of consumer rights under distance contracts. The author analyses the main novelties of legislation in the field of consumer protection, in particular, the introduction of a web portal for consumers in the field of e-commerce (e-Consumer Portal), and the procedure for exercising the right to withdraw from a distance contract by a consumer. The author concludes that the Law of Ukraine ‘On Consumer Protection’ adopted on June 10, 2023, contains many legal provisions which significantly increase the level of consumer protection in the field of e-commerce, and its adoption makes it possible to bring national consumer protection legislation closer to EU principles and practices. It is also established that the updated regulation reduces the risks of unfair commercial practices, particularly in the field of e-commerce, since business entities will have equal conditions for e-commerce and fair competition.