From this date, all e-shops, including digital service providers and digital content providers (new terms), should have their general terms and conditions and services regulated according to the new regulation. Therefore, in June and July, we will be receiving a lot of emails about the fact that the GTCs have already changed and adapted to the new law.

The new law implements the European directives and completely replaces the previous regulation in the form of the outdated Act No. 250/2007 Coll. on Consumer Protection and Act No. 102/2014 Coll. on Consumer Protection in the Sale of Goods or Provision of Services Based on a Contract Concluded at a Distance or a Contract Concluded Outside the Seller’s Premises.

The Act brings many positive changes not only for consumers, but also for entrepreneurs. What are the biggest ones? It harmonises the use of terms, introduces new information obligations and a new type of contract, the digital performance contract.

At the same time, obligations are being introduced to ensure transparency and truthfulness in the evaluation of goods and services, as well as to prevent artificial price increases ahead of discount promotions. In favour of retailers, for example, is the significant simplification of complaints processes and the removal of the obligation to have an expert assessment if a retailer wants to reject a complaint.

Alongside this, the level and method of imposing fines is also changing. It is possible that higher fines will be imposed in practice, but on the other hand, the law contains conditions under which fines may not be imposed at all.