BEUC | 10 December 2026
EU-Korea digital trade agreement
Why it matters to consumers
Consumers increasingly shop online across borders. The Digital Trade Agreement between the EU and Korea shapes how their rights are protected when doing so, from data privacy and product safety to access to redress in case of issues. While this deal aims to strengthen trust in digital trade, attention needs to be paid to ensure strong and consistent consumer protection on both sides.
In March 2025, the EU and Korea concluded negotiations on a Digital Trade Agreement that complements the existing Digital Partnership framework. The agreement includes binding rules to facilitate digital trade in goods andservices covering issues such as data flows, personal data protection, source code, online consumer protection, and spam. Several of these provisions can contribute positively to building consumer trust in the digital marketplace, both in the EU and in Korea. However, some elements raise concern as they could limit governments’ ability to enforce digital policies in the public interest.
This paper summarises BEUC’s and Consumers Korea’s common position on the negotiated deal.