In all Member States of the European Union, e-commerce service providers are obliged to provide contact details to the recipients of their services. At present, many providers comply with this requirement simply by posting an e-mail address on their website. In a recent case, the European Court of Justice ruled that an e-mail address on its own is not sufficient, and that another rapid, direct and effective means of contact must also be offered, including online enquiry forms. In addition, traditional communication channels, such as telephone, fax, or a manned enquiry desk, must be made available to users upon request.

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