Update the Unfair Contract Terms directive for digital services

This study analyses common terms in contracts of digital service providers, indicating when they could significantly distort the balance between the parties’ rights and obligations to the detriment of consumers and should, therefore, fall within the scope of the Unfair Contract Terms Directive. Further, the study discusses the particularities of the assessment of online transparency of terms of digital service providers and sanctions they could face if they breach the current consumer protection framework. Recommendations are made to improve the effectiveness of this framework by: introducing a black and grey list of unfair terms, strengthening current sanctions, and introducing new obligations for digital service providers.