EU Commissioner Mimica and Deputy Minister Botev opened the information campaign on consumer rights in Bulgaria

Economy and Energy Branimir Botev together with the EU Commissioner in charge of Consumer Policy Neven Mimica opened the  information campaign on consumer rights in Bulgaria.

The campaign will be running by the end of this year and aims to promote consumer rights and to increase their awareness. Within the campaign, the European Consumer Centre (ECC) in Bulgaria will answer the phone calls from citizens and will advise the consumers whom to seek assistance from in case of problems. The campaign is aimed not only to the  consumers but also to the business representatives that need to be aware  of their obligations under the legislation for  consumers protection, and how its observation will reinforce the  consumer confidence on the market and will contribute to improvement of  the  competitive environment, which will benefit consumers and businesses. The information campaign will comprise  Sofia and four regional centers - Burgas, Varna, Rousse and Blagoevgrad, as  the main topics that the consumers  will be aware are: fraudulent  trade practices; unequal clauses  in contracts stipulating  general  conditions; sales of goods, including the relevant guarantees; distance sales / the consumers right to refuse under  the distance   and off-premises contracts /.

During the last year, MEE initiated an entirely new regulatory framework, which ensures consumer protection in contracts for sale - distance and off-premises contracts, contracts for consumer loans, contracts for the provision of financial services at a distance, contracts spread over time to use the property right. The active legislation prohibits the use of unfair - misleading and aggressive commercial practices and the inclusion of unequal clauses in contracts stipulating  general  conditions.