EU seeks e-trade without borders

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The European Commission is going to overhaul rules for online transactions to make people feel safer making cross-border purchases on the internet.

"There is an urgent need for action," according to Maglena Kuneva, the new consumer protection commissioner.

An EU survey found that 71% of consumers believe it is more difficult to resolve complaints and return goods bought from another EU member state.

The EU will consult for two months and make recommendations before April.

Ms Kuneva aims to overhaul rules on guarantees, refunds and cooling-off periods for transactions made over the internet and over the telephone.

She is putting out her first policy paper since becoming Bulgaria's first commissioner.

Twenty-six percent of EU consumers bought goods and services from companies in other member states last year, according to EU figures, but only 6% of them made the purchase on the internet.