The European Commission seeks experts to examine legal obstacles to cross-border trade in insurance products caused by different contract laws in the EU’s Member States. Experts will take part in a group that will report at the end of 2013, after which the Commission will decide on any possible follow-up actions.

The European Commission published a call for experts to create a group that is set to examine barriers to cross-border trade in insurance products caused by different contract laws in the EU’s Member States. The expert group will identify to what extent contract law differences hinder cross-border distribution and use of insurance by European businesses and consumers. Since 21 December 2012, insurers had to charge the same prices to women and men for the same insurance products.

In particular, the Expert Group on Insurance Contract Law will bring together key stakeholders, including insurance providers, representatives of consumer and business users, academics and legal professionals. If the group finds differences, it will also identify which types of insurance are most affected. It is likely to focus on insurance products of a greater economic significance.

In a public consultation issued on this topic by the Commission, insurance representatives pointed out that it was currently not possible to offer uniform insurance products across the EU based on a single European legal framework. They noted that differences in insurance contract laws generated additional costs and legal uncertainty in cross-border trade in insurance products.