During the last decade the European Union has enacted several directives relating to the distance selling of goods and services. The aim of this paper is to determine the degree of protection a European consumer enjoys when concluding a contract on-line. More specifically, we will address the followingquestions: which information must be provided to the consumer, what is the meaning and extent of the right of withdrawal, how is the consumer protected when a third, non-authorised person uses his electronic payment instrument on the internet and which law applies in case a consumer concludes a contract with a person established in another country?