Consumer Authority sets out its priorities for 2008
The Consumer Authority intends to focus upon the following areas during 2008:
- Unreasonably stringent stipulations in General Terms and Conditions
- Warranty scheme for the travel industry, in the event of insolvency
- Warranties and conformity
- SMS services, such as ringtones
- Unfair commercial practices
Unreasonably stringent stipulations in General Terms and Conditions
The Consumer Authority is to investigate terms and conditions that have been imposed unilaterally in the furniture and kitchens sector, as it is in these particular sectors that consumer spending levels are very high. ConsuWijzer, the Consumer Authority's information desk for consumers, has received a large number of reports concerning possible unreasonably stringent stipulations in terms and conditions.
Warranty scheme for the travel industry, in the event of insolvency
Travel companies are obliged to take measures in order to protect consumers against financial losses in the event that the travel company becomes insolvent. The Consumer Authority will carry out checks in the case of travel companies that are not members of the Stichting Garantiefonds Reisgelden [Travel Bookings Compensation Fund] (SGR), in order to determine what arrangements are in place to enable the company concerned to meet the statutory guarantee. In cases where those arrangements are found to be inadequate, the Consumer Authority will take action.
Warranties and conformity
The Consumer Authority will take enforcement action against businesses that systematically fail to comply with the right of consumers to receive a good product and a warranty. The Consumer Authority will also carry out investigations into the usefulness and necessity of warranty insurance schemes and will work together with business associations in order to raise awareness amongst businesses of the rules relating to warranties and conformity.
SMS services, such as ringtones
In 2007, the Consumer Authority joined forces with OPTA to set up an information desk on ringtones at ConsuWijzer and the high number of reports received caused the Consumer Authority to place this topic on its Agenda. The Consumer Authority's supervisory role is directed towards the information provided by ringtone suppliers: is the information correct, complete and unequivocal? This assumes even greater importance if suppliers are targeting children and young people.
Unfair commercial practices
During the course of 2008, new rules relating to unfair commercial practices will take effect. In this particular area of activity, the Consumer Authority will primarily seek to address misleading and aggressive sales methods and the misuse of quality hallmarks and the abuse of codes of conduct.
Download the Consumer Authority Agenda 2008 (pdf, 1mb)
The choice of items for inclusion in the Agenda is based upon signals from the market, reports submitted by consumers to ConsuWijzer, experiences during the fulfilment of Agenda for 2007 and the round of consultations with consumer organisations and other parties.
In addition to addressing the items on the Agenda, the Consumer Authority is reserving sufficient capacity in order to intervene in the event that major problems arise and in order to act in European cases involving a cross-border dimension. The second of these forms one of the Consumer Authority's key tasks. The Consumer Authority is authorised to impose fines upon companies that contravene the rules or can institute court proceedings to seek an order obliging the perpetrators to desist from any unlawful activity.
The Consumer Authority is now one year old and its Director, Marije Hulshof, feels that the existence of the Consumer Authority and of ConsuWijzer, the Authority's information desk for consumers, has put consumers' rights very firmly on the map. Looking back over the past year, Hulshof said: "Our field of work is broad and we have a lot to deal with. In order to maximise our effectiveness, our aim is therefore to be active in the areas in which consumers need us most. That is why we are publishing this Agenda. A number of items from our Agenda for 2007 also form part of our Agenda for 2008, for the simple reason that these particular problems require a long-term approach if they are to be tacked systematically. As far as the Consumer Authority is concerned, ConsuWijzer, the Authority's information desk for consumers, in which the Consumer Authority receives assistance from the Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) and OPTA, forms an important tool, not only as a means of providing consumers with information regarding their rights, but also as it enables us to detect problems in good time."