NCJ Number
78469
Date Published
1980
Length
106 pages
Annotation
Questionnaire responses are presented from 15 member States of the Council of Europe elicited in a 1979 survey that inquired of the States' measures permitting agencies or associations to ensure the legal protection of the collective interests of consumers.
Abstract
Each Nation surveyed listed those associations or agencies that are significantly engaged in ensuring the collective interests of consumers, types of preventive action that such agencies may take on behalf of consumer interests, and possibilities available to agencies or associations to obtain redress for a consumer or group of consumers. The countries also cited those courts or judicial bodies where agencies could bring a preventive action or apply for redress, described the effect of a decision in favor of a consumer on the cases of other consumers who were not parties to the case or represented in it, and discussed publicity as a means to ensure the protection of consumers. Responses also addressed the conditions that agencies must fulfill in order to be a party to judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings to protect consumers. This presentation contains questionnaire replies from Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The text of the questionnaire is provided.