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Consumer reforms On the occasion of the presentation of the report of the Economic Analysis Council on consumer protection, significant changes were announced concerning consumer rights in France . Benoît Hamon, then Minister Delegate for the Social and Solidarity Economy and Consumption, revealed the key points of an upcoming bill on consumption which will be presented to Parliament in the spring of 2013.
Reform proposals for consumer protection in France: –
One of the main proposals of the bill was the introduction of class actions, also called class actions, for the protection of consumers. This measure aimed to strengthen the legal means available to consumers, allowing them to collectively seek compensation for economic and material damage. However, it was clarified that such actions would not cover bodily injury suffered by consumers.
Addressing the issue of unfair contract terms, the bill sought to ensure that when a term is found to be unfair, it would no longer apply to all consumers but would be limited to the person challenging it. This provision was intended to protect consumers against unfair contract terms and to promote fair practices in commercial transactions .
Consumer Bill Key Measures:-
To further strengthen consumer protection, the bill proposes to strengthen the resources of the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF). This would involve setting up a system of administrative sanctions independent of the public prosecutor’s office, allowing the DGCCRF to take rapid measures against offenders.
Another area of interest was revolving credit. The bill aimed to more strictly regulate this type of credit, in particular by examining the link between loyalty cards and revolving credit. In addition, the bill intended to lower the threshold from which consumers must be offered the possibility of subscribing to an installment loan, lowering it from 1,000 euros to 500 euros.
The full report on consumer protection, published by the Economic Analysis Council, has been made available on its website for public consultation. These proposed measures aimed to strengthen consumer rights, promote fair trading practices and ensure effective mechanisms to deal with consumer complaints.
As consumer law has evolved, experts in the field, such as the Nice consumer law lawyer, have followed these developments closely, providing information and advice to individuals and companies navigating the complex landscape of consumer rights and obligations.
