Europees Parlement stemt in met nieuwe richtlijn consumentenrechten: meer bescherming bij kopen op afstand (en)

The European Parliament adopted a new consumer protection directive, which provides greater protection for consumers against unfair trade practices, on 23 June 2011. The Council has already approved the compromise proposal from the Hungarian Presidency.

The text formed by the Hungarian Presidency, which was adopted by the European Parliament (EP), will increase the protection of consumers throughout the entire European Union in off-premises sales, sales by phone and the increasingly popular online sales.

According to the directive, customers will have the right of withdrawal from purchases for fourteen days, rather than seven days foreseen by the present regulations. The directive also harmonises what data sellers must provide consumers, prior to the conclusion of the contract.Traders must ensure consumers are aware of the contract they are signing and have clearly expressed their desire to enter into the contract.Traders cannot charge the consumers more for using different payment methods, than the traders must pay for it.The law also prescribes that after the purchase is concluded; traders must provide a telephone number charged at a normal rate for consumers to reach them.

Member States must put the new regulations into practice two years after the directive is adopted.

In 2008, the European Commission proposed the amendment of four consumer protection directives and their consolidation.The goal of the amendment is to simplify the regulations, clarify the rights of consumers upon entering into a contract, and for Member States to adopt strict regulations, within minimal harmonisation regulations.After fourteen Council meetings and three trialogues with the EP, Member States have finally adopted the compromise text from the Hungarian Presidency on 15 June, which was adopted by the EP Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, a day later.Now, the plenary meeting of the Parliament has given its blessing to the legislative text.