11 The Consumer Rights Directive (distance selling) and the ODR Regulation

Originally Council Directive (EC) 97/7 (the ‘Distance Selling Directive’)¹ was introduced to provide minimum standards of protection to consumers in respect of ‘distance contracts’. This was replaced by Council Directive (EU) 2011/83 (the ‘Consumer Rights Directive’), implemented in the United Kingdom by the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013², which continue in force despite the United Kingdom having left the European Union. These are the most important regulations those involved in the United Kingdom should consider when drafting terms and conditions for supplies online. Other sale of goods law, such as the Sale of Goods Act 1979 and Consumer Rights Act 2015, also applies (and for services the Provision of Services Regulations 2009³) but the principal e-commerce specific legislation is the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations