European Union: Signed EU-Chile AFA and iTA including consumer protection regulation

On 13 December 2023, the European Union and Chile signed the Advanced Framework Agreement and an Interim Trade Agreement. The agreements aim to strengthen political cooperation and foster trade and investment. The agreements also include substantive commitments and specific provisions on human rights, sustainable trade, and gender equality, promoting shared values. The parties commit to promoting consumer confidence online by implementing measures to protect consumers in digital transactions, including prohibiting fraudulent practices and ensuring that providers act fairly and in good faith. The parties also emphasise the importance of cooperation between their consumer protection agencies to enhance trust in e-commerce. Furthermore, the parties shall safeguard end-users from unwanted direct marketing by mandating explicit consent for such communications, ensuring their clear identification, and providing recipients with a simple opt-out mechanism at any time. The Interim Trade Agreement permits an early implementation of the updated trade regulations and will expire automatically upon the Advanced Framework Agreement taking effect.