Information on Providers in Europe
Information on providers and their services in relation to the E.U. Services Directive
The following is an examination of information on providers and their services regarding the European Union Servicies Directive [1]:
Information on providers and their services: Quality of Services
In many cases, recipients of services, in particular consumers, do not have basic information about providers and their services. Article 22 strengthens the possibility of recipients to obtain such information while avoiding excessive burdens for providers.
Article 22 distinguishes between some indispensable information, which should in any case be available to recipients, and other information which only needs to be provided upon the recipient's request. Information has to be clear and unambiguous, and needs to be provided before the conclusion of a contract, or where there is no written contract, before the provision of the service. It is for service providers to decide by which means or support they want to provide the information. They remain free to choose the most appropriate and efficient means of communication, building upon the information they already provide as well as the means of information they already use. It is likely that the choice will depend very much on the nature of the service in question and the way it is normally provided. Many providers will make information to potential customers available via their websites, whereas others may choose to provide information by displaying it at the place where the service is provided or by including it in documents or leaflets.
It should be noted that the information requirements in Article 22 are complementary to information requirements laid down in other Community instruments, such as the E-commerce Directive150 , the Package Travel Directive151and the Distance Selling Directive152. Also, Member States remain free to impose additional information requirements on providers established in their territory.
Information on providers and their services in relation to the E.U. Services Directive
The following reviews some of the entries in this European legal encyclopedia about information on providers and their services regarding the European Union Servicies Directive:
- Information to be made available at the provider's own initiative
- Information to be made available at the recipient's request
Resources
Notes
- Information on information on providers and their services based on the EU Services Directive Handbook, UK Government