EU proposes new rules to protect online shoppers

The European Commission unveiled a proposal yesterday that will make it easier and safer for the 27-nation European Union's consumers to shop online across borders.

About one-third of the EU's consumers, or some 150 million people, already shop on the Internet. But only 30 million of them do it cross-border, and the new rules are intended to encourage more of them to look for goods abroad.

The EU's executive Commission wants to tear down barriers to cross-border goods and services to boost competition, offer businesses a bigger market and cut prices for consumers.