The document summarizes recent legal changes affecting e-commerce in Europe, including the New Packaging Act, Geo-Blocking Regulation, and GDPR. It outlines new requirements for online retailers regarding packaging registration and reporting, equal access and terms for customers across Europe, and expanded transparency and documentation for privacy compliance. Non-compliance could result in fines up to €200,000-300,000 or up to 4% of annual revenue. The document provides links for additional information on these legal topics.

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Legally Sound in 2019 - Update on Legal
Changes in E-Commerce
by Martin Hahn
Attorney and Data Protection Officer

2. Europe's largest online trade association
www.haendlerbund.de
Activity:
Branches:
Foundation:
Headquarters:
Employees:
Secure Shops:
Partners:
Association and service
provider
E-Commerce, Law, IT
2008
Leipzig
> 210
> 80,000
> 500
Since its foundation in Leipzig in 2008, Händlerbund has been
actively committed to the further development of the entire e-
commerce industry. Due to the rapid development of e-
commerce, Händlerbund has quickly become Europe's largest
online trade association.
Händlerbund continues to offer proven legal texts as well as legal
advice, warning protection and everything that is required for legal
protection in e-commerce. When we speak of Händlerbund today,
we mean a larger network that will continue to grow in the future.
The representation of interests is still one of the central tasks of
the association. For this reason, Händlerbund has offices in Berlin
and Brussels, for example, and actively participates in political
events with statements and recommendations for action.

3. Agenda
▪ The New Packaging Act (Verpackungsgesetz)
▪ Geo-Blocking Regulation
▪ General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) /
ePrivacy Regulation (ePR)
www.haendlerbund.de

4. www.haendlerbund.de
• in force since 01/01/2019
• replaces the former Packaging Ordinance from 1991
• new obligations for manufacturers and distributors of
consumer goods
The New Packaging Act
Goals:
▪ more transparency
▪ better control possibilities
▪ strengthening environmental protection through higher recycling rates

5. www.haendlerbund.de
The New Packaging Act
Important for online retailers
▪ registration in the database LUCID at the „Stiftung Zentrale Stelle“ (Central Packaging Registry)
• everyone who places any sales packaging filled with goods on the market for the first time (includes mail-
order companies)
▪ the mandatory registration of sales packaging in recollection systems (Duale Systeme)
• all sales packaging, which typically ends up as waste at the end-users‘ households (private and business)
▪ reports to „Stiftung Zentrale Stelle“ and Duales System
• annual reports of the weight and material of sales packaging placed on the market

6. www.haendlerbund.de
The New Packaging Act
▪ Attention!
packaging without orderly registration is prohibited to use
▪ non-compliance with the regulation or infringements:
• may be fined up to €200,000
• competitors may claim for cease and desist
▪ first written legal warnings are issued
• regarding the missing registration to LUCID

7. www.haendlerbund.de
• applicable since 03/12/2018
• applies for e-commerce business within the European
Economic Area (EU-member states, Iceland,
Liechtenstein, Norway)
Geo-Blocking Regulation
Goals:
▪ strengthening of free movement of goods within the European single market
▪ abolition of unjustified discriminations due to nationality, place of residence/headquarters
of the branch

8. www.haendlerbund.de
Geo-Blocking Regulation
Important for online retailers
▪ equal access to all websites and offers for all customers from the EEA
▪ equal payment conditions for all customers from the EEA
▪ limitation of delivery area remains possible as well as different shipping costs for different countries
▪ exceptions
• services related to copyrighted content
• services in branches such as finance, transport, health and social affairs

9. www.haendlerbund.de
Geo-Blocking Regulation
• Infringements on the Geo-Blocking Regulation
▪ may be fined up to €300,000
▪ probably anti-competitive violations so competitors may
claim for cease and desist

10. www.haendlerbund.de
• GDPR applicable for almost one year
• applies directly in all EU member states
• ePR still in legislative process
• end of process not predictable – comes into force at earliest in
2020
• so far only drafts – final regulations unclear
GDPR / ePR
Goals:
▪ harmonisation and strengthening of data protection within the European Union
▪ modern regulations for privacy in electronic communication, e.g. cookies

11. www.haendlerbund.de
GDPR / ePR
Important for online retailers
▪ extended transparency obligations
• new in particular, GDPR compliant privacy policy is necessary
▪ comprehensive documentation requirements
• core element: records of processing activities
▪ processing carried out on behalf of a controller shall be governed by a contract
• updating or conclusion of the necessary contracts, e.g. hosting provider, newsletter services, external payroll
accounting

12. www.haendlerbund.de
GDPR / ePR
• Infringements of the GDPR
▪ may be fined up to €20,000,000 or up to 4% of the total
worldwide annual turnover of the preceding financial
year
▪ disputed if there are anti-competitive violations

13. www.haendlerbund.de
GDPR / ePR
a lot of details for correct implementation are still unclear
• How to use cookies/tracking and analysis tools?
• How detailed must the information be, e.g. technical functions?
• When is “processing carried out on behalf of a controller”?
• Can there still be names on the doorbells?
• …

14. Links
Helpful Sites
For all topics and beyond:
www.onlinehaendler-news.de
For the packaging act (VerpackG):
https://www.haendlerbund.de/de/leistungen/rechtssicherheit/verpackungsgesetz
www.verpackungsregister.org
For the Geo-Blocking Regulation:
https://www.haendlerbund.de/de/leistungen/rechtssicherheit/agb-service/geoblocking-verordnung
For the GDPR:
• https://www.haendlerbund.de/de/leistungen/rechtssicherheit/agb-service/datenschutzgrundverordnung
• https://www.lda.bayern.de/de/datenschutz_eu.html
• https://www.gdd.de/gdd-arbeitshilfen/praxishilfen-ds-gvo/praxishilfen-ds-gvo
• https://www.bitkom.org/Themen/Datenschutz-Sicherheit/Datenschutz/index.jsp

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Thank you very much for
your attention!
CONTACT:
www.haendlerbund.de
www.onlinehaendler-news.de
MARTIN HAHN
Phone +49 341 926 590
E-mail info@haendlerbund.de