Legal protection of consumers

The Single European Act reaffirmed that to fulfill the so-called “major needs”, under former Article 100A of the Treaty on European Economic Community, Member States must prove that their national legislation is non-discriminatory or non-discriminatory contain restrictive provisions regarding free trade. “Big needs” included issues such as health, safety, the environment and consumer protection. The Commission, at first of the 1990s, stated: “The promotion and security of the interests of European consumers must be ensured.

For example, the Member States whose purpose or effect is to prevent, restrict or distort competition in the domestic market, in particular those of the external market, which are:

Is the purchase and sale prices or any other conditions of the story directly or indirectly fixed?

Restrict or control production, markets, technical developments, or investments;?

Separate markets or sources of supply;?

Implement terms similar to transactions with other trading parties, thereby placing them at a competitive disadvantage in protecting consumer protection rights;? make the termination of contracts conditional upon acceptance by other parties of additional obligations which, by their nature or by commercial customs, have no relation to the subject of those contracts;
Deal any agreement or decision prohibited under this section shall be automatically void.?

However, the provisions of the first paragraph may be declared unenforceable in cases of any contract or category of agreement between undertakings;?

The Treaty of Amsterdam reaffirms the Commission’s competences in the field of consumer protection, to ensure a higher level of security by taking into account social change and scientific facts. By the Council Resolution, at the end of November, the Commission will develop schemes aimed at increasing the level of consumer confidence by providing complete, systematic and useful information, increasing market transparency and improving product safety and security. services, everyday market objects.”

Legal protection of consumers