Understanding the legal status of online logistics platforms in Europe: a decision framework for service providers improving legal certainty in the platform context

Abstract The legal framework in logistics depends on a liability exposure that is attached to service providers (legal status). However, mandatory (which cannot be avoided with the parties’ agreement) and facultative (which can be replaced with the parties’ agreement) contract laws impose fundamentally different liability exposures on service providers. Moreover, depending on jurisdiction, the same service provider can acquire different liabilities. The reason for this is that national judges co