It is clear that one of the fastest-growing sectors is online travel

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Which is currently in the news with the Christmas holidays. How has Ryanair's refusal to ban certain online sites a few months ago affected this?

Ryanair's behaviour has resulted in a one-off loss for the travel agencies affected. However, the support given to the agencies by the public administration, demonstrating that they were operating within the strictest legality, has brought to light the real interests behind Ryanair's behaviour. The online travel sector is solid and users know the reliability and convenience of this sales channel. The sector continues to grow despite the crisis and, of course, despite the one-off behaviour of a low-cost airline that has discredited itself.

It is curious, however, that citizens plan their holidays online and still find it difficult to opt for electronic banking? What needs to be done to develop electronic commerce in other areas?

The future of e-commerce involves providing buyers with efficient, fast and secure payment methods, increasing consumer confidence in online transactions and the Government supporting the growth of the online channel in all companies as a source of competitiveness. For this reason, entities such as AECEM have promoted projects such as Confianza Online, the seal of quality for online sales that is increasingly being awarded to more companies.

Your organisation is co-organising the European eCommerce Conference, an unmissable event for industry professionals which took place in Barcelona a few weeks ago. What were the most important issues addressed?

The recent EEC08 was a success both in terms of attendance and the quality of the presentations. Topics covered included search engine optimization, the success of private sales, the growth of mobile marketing, the use of Web 2.0 as a means of reaching a large number of customers at a very low cost, the success of online media segmentation versus mass marketing, the growth of social networks and their use as a means of promoting brands, and many other topics, including the presentation of the 2008 E-Commerce Study.

Finally, what is your assessment of the implementation of Confianza Online as an initiative that regulates conflicts in your sector? What are the main conflicts that arise in this sector?

Confianza Online is a seal that is becoming more and more established among companies and consumers. The support of institutions such as IQUA and Red.es, together with the efforts of AECEM, have made it “the seal of quality for electronic commerce and online advertising”. Thousands of cases are resolved through the seal every year, with the most recurrent conflicts being errors in the description of a particular characteristic of a product. Thanks to Confianza Online, these errors are resolved in accordance with the law in a fast and efficient manner, strengthening the security that online transactions already have.

YOUR PROFILE

Marti Manent, president of AECEM-FECEMD, is also all india mobile number and email database provider responsible for the pioneering legal portals Derecho.com and Elabogado.com. Due to his work in the e-commerce employers' association, he is a regular in the media. He is also vice-president of IQUA and a professor at the Instituto de Empresa, focusing on his work as a professor of the Master's Degree in Legal Advice for Companies (IT law, intellectual property and contracting) and a teacher of the Master's Degree in Management in Marketing (Advertising Law and Legal Marketing. In English). Prior to these duties, he was an Independent Speaker for the drafting of the LSSI (Law 34/2002 on Information Society Services and Electronic Commerce) in the Senate in 2000, and a lawyer at Garrigues Abogados (Andersen legal) in the years 1998-2000, specialising in commercial law, as well as in advice on new technologies, data protection and compliance for international clients. Years before, in the period 1993-4, he was a producer of TV series

Regarding his training, he has a Postgraduate degree in Information Technology Law from ESADE since 1998 and a Master's Degree in Legal Advice for Companies from the Instituto de Empresa (IE) as well as a Law Degree from the University of Barcelona (1996). As an author, he has written various publications - "Formularios de Contratación Civil y Mercantil", Editorial BOSCH. 3 Vol. Year 2005; - "Manual Práctico sobre Protección de Datos", Ed. Jurisweb Interactiva, SL Year 2002 or "Manual Práctico sobre la Ley de Servicios de la Sociedad de la Información y de Comercio Electrónico", Ed. Jurisweb Interactiva, SL Year 2002