Earlier this month we examined proposed European legislation concerning large suppliers’ possible ability to insist their retailers have bricks and mortar premises that customers can visit.

eBay has been campaigning on this for over a year, with Amazon joining the fray in public recently. eBay has been examining the latest draft: “The direction of the general text is very positive towards online commerce. (But) this brick-and-mortar provision is inconsistent with this,” eBay vice president Tod Cohen told Reuters.”Those who want to engage in price discrimination will have another tool to do it,” he added.

It would be less than honest not to declare an interest – this blog is owned and funded by eBay. But as an independent journalist I have interviewed many small businesses which started as eBay ‘stores’. There was the guy selling tropical fish. The men’s designer clothing outlet. These are reputable, professional businesses, some of which now have retail premises and some of which don’t, but which would not have been able to start if the proposed legislation had been in force at the time. The world economy has enough problems, we don’t need new business stifled at its inception.

This is at the heart of consumer choice. If a customer would rather buy from someone they can visit, fine – that’s completely allowed. If they don’t then they shouldn’t be prevented from doing so by new regulations.