NCJ Number
59687
Date Published
1977
Length
126 pages
Annotation
THIS 1976 ANNUAL REPORT COVERS 19 MEMBER COUNTRIES OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD). WAYS TO PROTECT THE SAFETY AND ECONOMIC INTERESTS OF CONSUMERS ARE HIGHLIGHTED.
Abstract
THE OECD COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER POLICY REGULARLY REVIEWS DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FIELD OF CONSUMER POLICY ON THE BASIS OF ANNUAL REPORTS SUBMITTED BY MEMBER COUNTRIES. THE PRESENT REPORT COVERS THE COUNTRIES OF AUSTRALIA, BELGIUM, CANADA, DENMARK, FINLAND, FRANCE, GERMANY, IRELAND, ITALY, JAPAN, LUXEMBOURG, NETHERLANDS, NORWAY, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, UNITED KINGDOM, UNITED STATES, AND THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES. THE REPORT DESCRIBES INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS, NEW ENACTMENTS AND AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING REGULATIONS AIMED AT PROTECTING THE SAFETY AND THE ECONOMIC INTERESTS OF CONSUMERS, AS WELL AS MEASURES OF CONSUMER INFORMATION AND EDUCATION. CONSUMER POLICY DEVELOPMENTS VARY LARGELY FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY, BUT A NUMBER OF COMMON ISSUES ARE EMERGING AND ARE BEING DEALT WITH AT THE SAME TIME IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. THE TREND TOWARDS CONCENTRATION OF CONSUMER POLICY ACTIVITIES UNDER A SEPARATE ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT AT THE MINISTERIAL LEVEL, WHICH BEGAN IN 1972, PERSISTED IN 1976. NEW SAFETY REQUIREMENTS WERE STIPULATED IN SEVERAL MEMBER COUNTRIES FOR VARIOUS CONSUMER PRODUCTS, ESPECIALLY FOR TOYS. GENERAL CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS, WHICH BASICALLY AIM AT STRENGTHENING AND EFFECTIVELY APPLYING THE COUNTERVAILING POWER WHICH CONSUMERS IN THEORY ENJOY UNDER GENERAL LAW, HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED OR ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION IN SEVERAL MEMBER COUNTRIES. CONSUMER INFORMATION ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN PROMOTED FURTHER, AS IN REGULAR RADIO AND TELEVISION PROGRAMS ABOUT CONSUMER AFFAIRS, AND IN INDEPENDENT CONSUMER MAGAZINES. MEANS OF LEGAL REDRESS FOR CONSUMERS HAVE BEEN INCREASED IN SEVERL COUNTRIES, AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS FINANCIAL YEAR, EXPENDITURES FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS IN SEVERAL COUNTRIES HAVE INCREASED. IN THE LAST DECADE, MOST CONSUMER POLICY MEASURES WERE ADOPTED IN RESPONSE TO PRACTICAL ISSUES, BUT WITH THE GROWING INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF CONSUMER POLICY, SEVERAL MEMBER COUNTRIES NOW ARE ATTEMPTING TO DEFINE THEIR POLICY OBJECTIVES IN A MORE SYSTEMATIC WAY--TO CREATE A 'CONSUMPTION POLICY.' SPECIFIC CONSUMER DEVELOPMENTS IN EACH OF THE 19 COUNTRIES ARE DETAILED, ALONG WITH THOSE OF THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES. AN APPENDIX CONTAINS A RECOMMENDATION OF THE COUNCIL CONCERNING CONSUMER PROTECTION IN THE FIELD OF OF CONSUMER CREDIT. (PRG)