NEW ! Commission consultation document on the possible revision of the Directive.

During extensive consultations with stakeholders, the Commission received feedback stressing the need of the revision of the existing Directive.

This Directive protects consumers in respect of contracts with traders for goods and services:

	made at the doorstep.
	in the consumer's home.
	place of work.
	during an excursion organised by a trader for consumers.
	It provides for a withdrawal period of no less than seven days enabling the consumer to cancel the contract.
	The Directive does not apply to contracts for :
	the sale of land.
	the supply of food, drink and other goods intended for current consumption in the household and supplied by regular roundsmen.
	certain contracts concluded on the basis of a trader's catalogue.
	insurance contracts.
	contracts for securities.

Some of the problems stem from the differences in consumer protection in respect of contracts negotiated away from business premises between the Member States. There is also a possible need for simplifying and updating the current rules to address concrete problems of application of the Directive which have emerged since its entry into force 20 years ago.

This Directive is one of eight directives included in the Review of the Consumer Acquis. The extensive public consultation through the Green Paper on the Review of the Consumer Acquis was recently closed and results are now published on the website of the Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection (DG SANCO).

Questions raised in Doorstep Selling consultation document focus on issues which are specific to the sector, such as the application of exemptions and their possible need for a revision. Horizontal issues which cut across the acquis, such as definitions, are not dealt with in this document unless they concern aspects particular to doorstep selling.

Furthermore, aggressive or misleading commercial practices used by rogue traders when offering goods or services away from business premises are also beyond the scope of this consultation document. The Unfair Commercial Practices Directive which must be applicable in the Member States by 12 December 2007 aims at curtailing these types of practices.

The consultation on the Doorstep Selling Directive will be open until 4 December 2007.Updated 15-10-2007

Council Directive of 20 December 1985 to protect the Consumer in respect of contracts negotiated away from business premises (85/577/EEC)

Brief overview

EC Consumer Law Compendium: a Comparative Analysis and a database of the EU Consumer Law Acquis

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