Best E-commerce & Internet Law Lawyers in Ciney

About E-commerce & Internet Law in Ciney, Belgium

E-commerce and Internet law in Ciney follows Belgian national law and directly applicable European Union rules. The framework governs how online shops and platforms operate, how they inform and protect consumers, how they process personal data, how digital advertising and electronic communications are handled, and how online disputes are resolved. Although legal rules do not change from town to town, businesses in Ciney typically interact with regional authorities in Wallonia and the competent Enterprise Court for Namur province when issues arise.

Core sources include the Belgian Code of Economic Law for market practices, consumer protection, unfair terms and competition, the EU General Data Protection Regulation for privacy, the e-Privacy rules for cookies and electronic marketing, the EU Digital Services Act for platform accountability and content moderation, and sector specific rules such as payment services security and electronic signatures. Intellectual property, domain names, taxation and VAT, and cross-border compliance also form part of the legal landscape for online trade.

Why You May Need a Lawyer

You may need legal help when launching an online shop or marketplace, selecting a legal form, registering your business, drafting compliant terms and conditions, and setting up returns and warranty policies. A lawyer can ensure that your website and check-out flows meet information duties, that your pricing and promotions respect Belgian and EU rules, and that your logistics and delivery terms are enforceable.

Privacy and data protection questions are common. Businesses often need advice on cookie banners and preferences, legitimate interest assessments, international data transfers, and processors agreements with vendors such as payment providers and cloud hosts. Data breach response and regulatory investigations require careful handling and fast timelines.

Disputes happen. A lawyer can help resolve consumer complaints, chargebacks, counterfeit claims, takedown notices, and supplier conflicts. For platforms and marketplaces, legal counsel is useful for notice-and-action procedures, repeat infringer policies, moderation and transparency obligations, and compliance with the Platform-to-Business Regulation and the Digital Services Act.

If you sell cross-border, counsel can help with VAT registration and the OSS or IOSS schemes, geo-blocking restrictions, multiple language and consumer law requirements, and choice of law and forum clauses that are valid and practical. Legal support is also valuable for influencer campaigns, online advertising, product compliance and safety, and the use or protection of trademarks, designs and copyrighted materials in digital content.

Local Laws Overview

Consumer contracts and market practices are governed mainly by the Belgian Code of Economic Law. Before a consumer buys online, traders must clearly display identity and contact details, company and VAT numbers, total prices including taxes and fees, delivery costs and timeframes, payment methods, any territorial delivery limits, the existence and terms of the 14 day right of withdrawal including the standard form, warranty rights, and for digital content the key functionality and compatibility. If you run a marketplace, you must explain ranking parameters and whether the seller is a professional, and make clear how consumer rights are allocated between the seller and the platform.

Belgian law implements the EU rules on price reductions. When advertising a discount, the reference price must be the lowest price applied during a recent period, typically 30 days. Fake reviews and misleading presentations are prohibited. Influencer marketing must be clearly identified as advertising and hidden commercial communications are unlawful.

For digital goods and services, EU law on the sale of goods and on digital content and services applies. Consumers benefit from a legal guarantee lasting at least two years for goods. Where there is a lack of conformity, consumers may request repair or replacement, or in some cases a price reduction or termination. For digital content, traders must ensure conformity and supply of updates for a reasonable period in line with the contract and expectations.

The GDPR applies to all personal data processing. You need a lawful basis, such as consent or contract, must respect transparency, purpose limitation and data minimization, and must secure data appropriately. You must notify the Belgian Data Protection Authority of most personal data breaches within 72 hours. Cookies and similar technologies generally require prior consent except for strictly necessary cookies. Marketing by email and SMS is opt in, with a narrow soft opt in for existing customers, and must include an easy unsubscribe.

Electronic contracting and signatures are recognized. The eIDAS Regulation governs trust services and electronic signatures. Terms and contracts should be presented in a durable medium and accepted in an auditable way. In Wallonia, commercial communications to consumers are typically provided in French for clarity and consumer understanding.

Online intermediaries benefit from hosting safe harbors when they act quickly after notice of illegal content. The Digital Services Act adds detailed duties for online platforms, including clear terms on moderation, a user friendly notice system for illegal content, reasons statements for removals, and transparency reporting. Very large platforms have additional obligations, but even smaller services must comply with core DSA rules.

Tax and VAT rules include Belgian VAT registration for domestic sales and the EU e-commerce VAT package. Distance sellers can use OSS for intra EU B2C supplies of services and goods, and IOSS for low value imports. Prices shown to consumers must be tax inclusive. For alcohol and age restricted products, sellers must implement appropriate age verification and comply with Belgian sale restrictions.

Intellectual property enforcement for trademarks, designs and copyright is available through Belgian courts. Domain names under .be are managed by DNS Belgium, with dispute procedures for abusive registrations. The Enterprise Court competent for Namur province, with divisions including Namur and Dinant, typically hears business disputes for traders in Ciney.

Frequently Asked Questions

What mandatory information must my Ciney-based online shop display

Your site must show the trader name, geographic address and contact email, company and VAT numbers from the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises, prices inclusive of taxes and fees, delivery costs and timing, accepted payment methods, any territorial delivery limits, a clear returns and withdrawal policy with the 14 day right and the withdrawal form, warranty information, and complaint handling details. If you are regulated or licensed, identify your supervisory authority. Terms must be easily accessible before purchase and available on a durable medium.

Do I need consent for cookies and tracking

Yes for most non essential cookies, including analytics and advertising cookies. You must provide a clear banner before setting such cookies, with granular choices and an easy reject option. Strictly necessary cookies used to provide the service do not require consent but still require disclosure. Keep a record of consent and allow users to change their choices.

What are my obligations for returns and refunds

Consumers have a 14 day right of withdrawal for distance contracts. You must refund within 14 days of being informed, but you can withhold until you receive the goods or proof of return. Consumers generally bear return shipping unless you agree to cover it or failed to inform them. There are exceptions to the right of withdrawal, such as made to order items, sealed health or hygiene goods once unsealed, and digital content supplied on a non tangible medium after express consent and acknowledgment of loss of the right of withdrawal.

How does the legal guarantee work for online sales

For consumer sales of goods, there is a minimum two year legal guarantee. If a product lacks conformity, consumers can request repair or replacement, and if impractical or disproportionate, a price reduction or termination. For digital content and services, you must ensure conformity and supply updates for a reasonable time. Be transparent about compatibility, features and digital rights management.

Can I email marketing offers to customers in Ciney

Only with prior consent, unless you rely on the soft opt in for your own similar products to existing customers whose email you obtained during a sale and who were given a clear opt out at collection and with each message. All messages must identify the sender, the commercial nature of the message, and include an easy unsubscribe.

What should my terms and conditions cover

Include trader identity, products and services description, pricing and taxes, delivery and performance times, payment methods, right of withdrawal and returns, warranty and after sales service, complaint handling and dispute resolution options, limitation of liability within legal limits, governing law and forum, and for marketplaces, allocation of responsibilities among platform, professional sellers and consumers. Ensure unfair or abusive terms are avoided, including blacklisted clauses under Belgian B2B and B2C rules.

What are the key privacy documents I need

Prepare a concise privacy notice explaining what data you collect, why, legal bases, retention, recipients and transfers, user rights, and how to contact your data protection contact. Implement a cookie policy aligned with your banner choices. Execute data processing agreements with vendors such as payment processors, hosting providers and marketing tools. If transferring data outside the EEA, use appropriate safeguards such as standard contractual clauses and assess local laws at the destination.

How do the DSA rules affect a small online platform

Even small platforms must set out clear terms on what content is allowed, provide an easy way for users to notify illegal content, act diligently on notices, inform users of moderation decisions with reasons, and publish annual transparency information. If you allow third party sellers, you must collect and verify basic trader information and provide clear information to consumers about seller status and ranking parameters. Larger user thresholds trigger additional duties.

Do I need to register for VAT and how do cross-border sales work

If you are established in Belgium and sell to Belgian consumers, you need a Belgian VAT number and must charge Belgian VAT. For cross-border B2C sales within the EU, you can use the OSS scheme to simplify VAT reporting. For low value goods imported to the EU, you can use IOSS. Display prices tax inclusive and keep evidence to apply the correct VAT rates. Seek tailored advice if you operate warehousing outside Belgium or sell via fulfillment networks.

Where are disputes handled if a Ciney customer complains

Try to resolve disputes directly and consider mediation through the Consumer Mediation Service. Small consumer disputes may be brought before a Justice of the Peace. Commercial disputes between businesses are usually heard by the Enterprise Court competent for Namur province. Cross-border consumer disputes can also be assisted by the European Consumer Centre. Your terms should not deprive consumers of mandatory protections or competent courts.

Additional Resources

Federal Public Service Economy - information and guidance on e-commerce compliance, consumer protection, price reductions, and influencer guidelines.

Belgian Data Protection Authority - guidance on GDPR, cookies, data breaches, and template documents for controllers and processors.

Enterprise Court for Namur province - divisions including Namur and Dinant that handle business disputes for traders operating in Ciney.

Consumer Mediation Service - national body for consumer dispute resolution and referrals to sectoral ombuds services.

European Consumer Centre Belgium - assistance for cross-border consumer issues within the EU, including online purchases and deliveries.

DNS Belgium - registry for .be domain names and dispute resolution information for abusive registrations.

BeCommerce or sectoral trade groups - practical compliance checklists and codes of conduct for online retailers in Belgium.

Banque-Carrefour des Entreprises and VAT authorities - registration resources for company numbers, VAT numbers and OSS or IOSS enrollment.

Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications - guidance on electronic communications, marketing and telecom related compliance.

Walloon regional business support services - practical assistance for SMEs in Ciney on digitalization, cybersecurity and export.

Next Steps

Clarify your business model, whether you sell your own goods, digital content, or act as a marketplace. Map your customer base, targeted countries and languages, and the data flows and vendors you use. This scoping will determine which rules apply and where risks lie.

Collect your core documents and information. Prepare your trader identity details including company name, address, BCE and VAT numbers, returns address, customer service contacts, and logistics information. Inventory your cookies and tracking tools, payment providers, hosting and marketing stack, and any cross-border data transfers.

Draft and implement compliant materials. Create clear terms and conditions, a privacy notice and cookie policy, returns and warranty information, and a straightforward checkout flow with pre-contract information and explicit confirmation of order. Configure a consent management platform that allows users to refuse non essential cookies as easily as accepting them. Set up an internal process for handling consumer complaints, withdrawal requests, and data subject rights.

Assess special regimes. If you run a platform, implement DSA notice-and-action and trader onboarding verification. If you sell cross-border, register for OSS or IOSS where relevant and review shipping and customs. For digital content, ensure conformity commitments and update policies are in place. For advertising and influencers, implement clear ad disclosures and review claims substantiation.

Engage a lawyer experienced in Belgian and EU e-commerce to review your site and documentation, tailor your policies to Wallonia and Ciney practice, and help set up internal records such as processing registers and data breach playbooks. Ask for a fixed-fee compliance audit covering consumer law, privacy, advertising, IP and platform obligations.

Train your team and monitor changes. Assign responsibility for incident response, order issues, chargebacks and takedowns. Monitor legal updates such as changes to e-invoicing obligations and cybersecurity rules, and review your materials at least annually or after major business changes.

If you face a dispute or regulatory inquiry, act quickly. Gather evidence such as order logs, communications, consent records and screenshots. Contact counsel early to manage deadlines and preserve your options for settlement or defense before the competent authorities or courts serving Ciney and the Namur province.