Consumer protection

Council Directive 93/13/EEC of 5 April 1993 on unfair terms in consumer contracts.

The purpose of this Directive is to contribute to the proper functioning of the internal market and achieve a high level of consumer protection by approximating the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States on unfair commercial practices harming consumers’ economic interests.

The purpose of this Directive is, through the achievement of a high level of consumer protection, to contribute to the proper functioning of the internal market by approximating certain aspects of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning contracts concluded between consumers and traders.

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The purpose of this guidance document is to facilitate the effective application of Directive 2011/83/EU on consumer rights (‘the Directive’), adopted on 25 October 2011. Member States were required to transpose it into national laws by 13 December 2013. All national transposition measures have to apply from 13 June 2014.

Commission notice — Guidance on the interpretation and application of Council Directive 93/13/EEC on unfair terms in consumer contracts (Text with EEA relevance.)

This document aims to provide a voluntary tool for companies to better present and communicate both mandatory consumer information and T&Cs to consumers. This document was agreed by the business organisations within a stakeholder expert group and facilitated by the European Commission.

The “New Deal for Consumers” initiative aimed at strengthening enforcement of EU consumer law in light of a growing risk of EU-wide infringements and at modernising EU consumer protection rules in view of market developments. The Commission adopted it on the 11 April 2018. The initiative was composed of two proposals for Directives and a Communication.