Union ministers responsible for consumer protection will hold a meeting in Prague today
Update: 23/09/2022 00:15
Issued by: 23/09/2022, 00:15
Prague – Ministers of the countries of the European Union responsible for consumer protection will meet today in the Prague Congress Center for an informal meeting. They will deal with strengthening the enforcement of consumer law, but also the effects of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and expensive energy on consumers. The amended guidelines on package travel services will also be discussed.
The morning meeting will focus on increasing the enforceability of consumer law in connection with the increase in internet trading and the spread of digital advertising. Part of this problem is securing enough money for supervisory authorities and their technical equipment. Ministers will look for solutions that will lead to more effective cross-border enforcement of consumer rights. They will also deal with situations where EU customers are targeted by practices from third countries.
In the context of the war in Ukraine, the European ministers responsible for consumer protection in the second block of negotiations will deal not only with mitigating the impact on consumers, but also with the protection of Ukrainian refugees as vulnerable consumers. The topic of the working lunch will then be the revision of the directive on package travel services with a focus on the difficulties that have arisen in the tourism industry during the coronavirus pandemic. The ministers will therefore address the initiative of, for example, protection against insolvency.
In April, the Czech government approved a proposal by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO) to amend the Consumer Protection Act and related changes in the Civil Code. The goal of the changes was primarily to take into account European regulations. In addition to the EU requirements, the MPO proposed adjustments for concluding the contract orally by telephone. The seller will have to send it in text form and it will only be valid when the consumer signs it or sends his consent to it in electronic form.