There is good news for small and medium sized businesses on the potential new amendments to the directive that is currently being reviewed by the European Parliament. This could have had some serious implications for those companies selling consumer products on e-commerce websites.

Members of the European parliament (MEPs), the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection and the Council of the European Union have provisionally agreed on amendments to the EU Consumer Rights Directive.

The proposals which would have seen traders having to refund the return cost of goods priced at €40 or more from anywhere in the EU were quashed by the Council.

It is also understood that controversial plans to force retailers to sell into every EU country have been dropped, provided that merchants specify early in the transaction process which countries they ship to, and explain why they don’t serve others.

The changes still need to be formally agreed by the Council. However, MEPs expect a decision to be reached this week and a vote taken by the parliament in late June or July.

Small and medium sized businesses can breathe a sigh of relief at this news.