As we have been discussing during our 2016 IDI annual conference (Turin – Italy, 3-4 June 2016), the EU Commission is actively engaged in pursuing its Digital Single Market Strategy. In this context the Commission issued on September 15, 2016 a Preliminary Report on the E-commerce Sector Enquiry, which deals with a number of crucial issues regarding on-line distribution, such as in particular, restrictions to sell and advertise on line, geo-filtering, restrictions to sell on online marketplaces and to use price comparison tools, and takes a more critical approach to selective distribution agreements.
Considering the growing importance of online distribution, we think that it is important for all those involved in distribution, and in particular for the members of IDI, to closely monitor the initiatives taken by the European Commission in this field. We would welcome any proposal of possible actions by IDI as well as your opinion about a possible inclusion of these issues in the program of the next IDI annual conference which will take place in Paris on 9-10 June 2017.
Fabio Bortolotti, Chair IDI
