The Impact of Data Privacy and E-privacy Legal Framework on E-commerce Businesses

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This dissertation was written as part of the LLM in Transnational and European Commercial Law, Banking Law, Arbitration/Mediation at the International Hellenic University. Electronic commerce has had a significant impact on the way we do business. It has had an influence on economies, markets, industrial structures, and product flows along the supply chain. Despite the remarkable expansion of e-commerce and its potential influence on business profits, there are issues with this technology's capabilities. Businesses are amassing massive amounts of personal data about their customers. As a result, customers are concerned about the security of their personal information and want something done to address the issue. This dissertation examines the data privacy and e-privacy legal framework which have a significant impact on e-commerce businesses within the European Union. It takes into consideration not only the current legal regime but also the legal texts that will come to force within the next few years. Past decisions of the European Data Protection Authorities as well as relevant Recommendations of the Hellenic Data protection Authority will be analyzed. By the end of this dissertation, one would be able to answer what is the overall “cost” for ecommerce businesses if they comply with these regulations as well as if it is eventually worth it for them to be compliant. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor professor, Dr. Venetia Argyropoulou, for her guidance and support throughout my research journey. Without her unwavering encouragement, insightful feedback, and patient mentorship, this dissertation would not have been possible.