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Produktmärkning på ren grekiska? - Avvägningen mellan fri rörlighet för varor och konsumentskydd vid e-handel inom EU:s reglering för produktmärkning på mottagarlandets språk

Jönsson, Julia LU (2025) JURM02 20251
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract (Swedish)
Fri rörlighet för varor och konsumentskydd utgör två centrala intressen inom
EU. Emellertid är det inte ovanligt att det uppstår en konflikt mellan de två
intressena. Ett exempel på en sådan konflikt är regleringen av produktmärkning på mottagarlandets språk. Regleringen av produktmärkning på mottagarlandets språk syftar främst till att skydda konsumenter genom att se till att information om en produkt tillhandahålls på ett språk som konsumenter förstår. Krav på produktmärkning på mottagarlandets språk begränsar dock den fria rörligheten eftersom leverantörer måste märka produkter på nytt inför varje land de vill sälja till. De ökade kostnaderna för förpackning kan då göra att leverantörer undviker att sälja produkter till andra... (More)
Fri rörlighet för varor och konsumentskydd utgör två centrala intressen inom
EU. Emellertid är det inte ovanligt att det uppstår en konflikt mellan de två
intressena. Ett exempel på en sådan konflikt är regleringen av produktmärkning på mottagarlandets språk. Regleringen av produktmärkning på mottagarlandets språk syftar främst till att skydda konsumenter genom att se till att information om en produkt tillhandahålls på ett språk som konsumenter förstår. Krav på produktmärkning på mottagarlandets språk begränsar dock den fria rörligheten eftersom leverantörer måste märka produkter på nytt inför varje land de vill sälja till. De ökade kostnaderna för förpackning kan då göra att leverantörer undviker att sälja produkter till andra medlemsstater.

En ytterligare aspekt är den ökande e-handeln. Konsumenter är generellt utsatta för fler risker vid handel på nätet vilket gör konsumentskyddet ännu viktigare än vid fysisk handel. Samtidigt behöver den fria rörligheten prioriteras om unionen vill uppnå sitt mål om upprättandet av en digital inre marknad. Det är därför särskilt relevant att utreda produktmärkning på mottagarlandets språk vid e-handel. Uppsatsens syfte är därmed att utreda avvägningen mellan fri rörlighet för varor och konsumentskydd vid e-handel inom EU:s reglering för produktmärkning på mottagarlandets språk.

För att besvara syftet utreds gällande rätt med en form av rättsdogmatisk metod. Eftersom uppsatsen handlar om EU-rätt tillämpas de unionsrättsliga källorna. En typ av rättsanalytisk metod används även för att analysera förhållandet mellan produktmärkning på mottagarlandets språk och fri rörlighet för varor vid e-handel samt förhållandet mellan produktmärkning på mottagarlandets språk och konsumentskydd vid e-handel. Vidare används en form av rättsanalytisk metod för att undersöka vad EU-domstolens praxis säger om avvägningen mellan fri rörlighet för varor och konsumentskydd. Avgörandet Parfümerie Akzente undersöks särskilt då det tydliggör hur avvägningen görs vid e-handel.

I uppsatsen konstateras att konsumentskydd i regel vägs tungt i förhållande
till fri rörlighet för varor vid e-handel inom EU:s reglering för produktmärkning på mottagarlandets språk. Det måste dock ske en bedömning av språkkravet i det enskilda fallet. Avvägningen får ett flertal både negativa och positiva konsekvenser. Till exempel begränsas den fria rörligheten vilket gör unionen mindre konkurrenskraftig. Däremot kan konsumenter undvika risker och fatta informerade beslut. Slutligen framhålls i uppsatsen att det bör beaktas att en konsument utöver att ha en säker produkt även värderar bl.a. pris, kvalitet och att vara medborgare i en konkurrenskraftig och trygg union. (Less)
Abstract
The free movement of goods and consumer protection are two key interests
within the EU. However, it is not unusual that a conflict occurs between the
two interests. An example of such a conflict is the regulation of product labelling in the language of the recipient country. The regulation of product labelling in the language of the recipient country primarily aims to protect consumers by ensuring that information is provided in a language that consumers understand. Nevertheless, requiring product labelling in the language of the recipient country limits free movement as suppliers must label products differently for each country they want to sell to. The increased cost for packaging may then cause suppliers to avoid selling products to... (More)
The free movement of goods and consumer protection are two key interests
within the EU. However, it is not unusual that a conflict occurs between the
two interests. An example of such a conflict is the regulation of product labelling in the language of the recipient country. The regulation of product labelling in the language of the recipient country primarily aims to protect consumers by ensuring that information is provided in a language that consumers understand. Nevertheless, requiring product labelling in the language of the recipient country limits free movement as suppliers must label products differently for each country they want to sell to. The increased cost for packaging may then cause suppliers to avoid selling products to other member states.

An additional aspect is the increase of e-commerce. Consumers are in general
exposed to more risks when purchasing online, making consumer protection even more significant than when purchasing in person. At the same time, free movement needs to be prioritised if the EU wishes to achieve its goal of creating a digital single market. It is therefore especially relevant to investigate product labelling in the language of the recipient country in e-commerce. The purpose of this thesis is consequently to examine the balance between free movement of goods and consumer protection in e-commerce within the EU regulation for product labelling in the language of the recipient country.

To address the purpose, a form of legal dogmatic method is used to analyse applicable law. As the thesis concerns EU law, the sources of EU law are applied. A type of legal analytical method is also used to analyse the relation between product labelling in the language of the recipient country and the free movement of goods in e-commerce and the relation between product labelling in the language of the recipient country and consumer protection in e-commerce. Furthermore, a form of legal analytical method is used to assess what the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union indicates about the balance between the free movement of goods and consumer protection. The judgement Parfümerie Akzente is studied in particular as it clarifies how the balance is made in e-commerce.

In the thesis it is concluded that consumer protection generally is weighted
heavily in relation to the free movement of goods in e-commerce within the EU regulation for product labelling in the language of the recipient country. However, the language requirement must be evaluated in each individual case. The balance has a number of both negative and positive consequences. For example, it restricts free movement, making the EU less competitive. However, consumers can avoid risks and make informed decisions. Finally, it is emphasised in the thesis that it should be considered that besides having a safe product a consumer also values, inter alia, price, quality and being a citizen of a competitive and safe union. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Jönsson, Julia LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
Incomprehensible product labelling? - Balancing the free movement of goods and consumer protection in e-commerce within the EU regulation for product labelling in the language of the recipient country
course
JURM02 20251
year
type
H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
subject
keywords
EU-rätt, produktmärkning
language
Swedish
id
9189089
date added to LUP
2025-06-10 09:35:33
date last changed
2025-06-10 09:35:33
@misc{9189089,
  abstract     = {{The free movement of goods and consumer protection are two key interests 
within the EU. However, it is not unusual that a conflict occurs between the 
two interests. An example of such a conflict is the regulation of product labelling in the language of the recipient country. The regulation of product labelling in the language of the recipient country primarily aims to protect consumers by ensuring that information is provided in a language that consumers understand. Nevertheless, requiring product labelling in the language of the recipient country limits free movement as suppliers must label products differently for each country they want to sell to. The increased cost for packaging may then cause suppliers to avoid selling products to other member states. 

An additional aspect is the increase of e-commerce. Consumers are in general 
exposed to more risks when purchasing online, making consumer protection even more significant than when purchasing in person. At the same time, free movement needs to be prioritised if the EU wishes to achieve its goal of creating a digital single market. It is therefore especially relevant to investigate product labelling in the language of the recipient country in e-commerce. The purpose of this thesis is consequently to examine the balance between free movement of goods and consumer protection in e-commerce within the EU regulation for product labelling in the language of the recipient country. 

To address the purpose, a form of legal dogmatic method is used to analyse applicable law. As the thesis concerns EU law, the sources of EU law are applied. A type of legal analytical method is also used to analyse the relation between product labelling in the language of the recipient country and the free movement of goods in e-commerce and the relation between product labelling in the language of the recipient country and consumer protection in e-commerce. Furthermore, a form of legal analytical method is used to assess what the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union indicates about the balance between the free movement of goods and consumer protection. The judgement Parfümerie Akzente is studied in particular as it clarifies how the balance is made in e-commerce. 

In the thesis it is concluded that consumer protection generally is weighted 
heavily in relation to the free movement of goods in e-commerce within the EU regulation for product labelling in the language of the recipient country. However, the language requirement must be evaluated in each individual case. The balance has a number of both negative and positive consequences. For example, it restricts free movement, making the EU less competitive. However, consumers can avoid risks and make informed decisions. Finally, it is emphasised in the thesis that it should be considered that besides having a safe product a consumer also values, inter alia, price, quality and being a citizen of a competitive and safe union.}},
  author       = {{Jönsson, Julia}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Produktmärkning på ren grekiska? - Avvägningen mellan fri rörlighet för varor och konsumentskydd vid e-handel inom EU:s reglering för produktmärkning på mottagarlandets språk}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}