Three leading providers have to work on their website to adjust it to the Services Directive. It prohibits discrimination of consumers due to their place of residence or nationality.

The car rental companies Hertz, Avis and Europcar will redesign their business practices after a "constructive dialog" with the European Commission (see press release) . The main point of the EU’s criticism was the so called rerouting, which is the automatic forwarding of consumers because of their IP address to the national website of the company. This automatism made it impossible for consumers from Austria to rent a car at the German website, even if it would be cheaper. Due to the changes the companies agreed on, consumers should be able to benefit from the best possible prices available regardless of their IP addresses, home country or residence.

EU Commission informs about Service Directive

The Commission summarized details about the Services Directive and implications for consumers in a brochure. Concrete examples, like renting a car, illustrate the main points.

Download the brochure here. You also find it under "publications" on the website of ECC Austria. The EU Commission also created an online information platform: The internal market on services.

The European Consumer Centre Austria (ECC) helps consumers with cross-border problems with companies in the EU, Norway and Iceland.