Consumer protection policy
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly debate on 16 May 1972 (3rd Sitting) (see Doc. 3126, report of the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development). Text adopted by the Assembly on 16 May 1972 (3rd Sitting).
The Assembly,
1. Considering the report of its Committee on Economic Affairs and Development on consumer protection policy (
Doc. 3126) ;
3. Welcoming the recent Resolution (71) 29 of the Committee of Ministers on consumer education in schools and (72) 8 on misleading advertising ;
4. Considering that the increasing importance of consumer protection and assistance places a duty on the State to enact protective legislation, and to provide a comprehensive system of administration for enforcement and the dissemination of legal advice and commercial information ;
5. Recognising that a competitive market economy offers consumers a wide freedom of choice of goods and services, and stimulates innovations, but requires to be safeguarded against unfair trading practices in the interests both of consumers and reputable traders ;
6. Noting that manufacturers, merchants, shopkeepers and traders generally have common interests with consumers in the promotion of trading standards, ensuring that all get value for money, and that all require legal protection from exploitation ;
7. Noting also that protective legislation and voluntary codes of practice have necessarily not followed a common pattern in member countries, but are based on common principles, and that protective systems may be incomplete and ineffective ;
8. Believing that an examination of such systems, leading towards an overall view of guiding principles of consumer protection and assistance, may help to remedy any shortcomings in each country and promote a beneficial degree of uniformity in policies and administrations ;
9. Convinced that the Council of Europe is particularly fitted to undertake such an examination and offer acceptable policies,
10. Resolves :
a that common principles of consumer protection and assistance should be defined and written into a European Consumers' Charter ;
b that the experiences and achievements of member countries should be considered in the preparation of the Charter, and such organisations as OECD that are, or may be, engaged in similar studies should be consulted.
