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The Regulation on Consumer Protection Cooperation
Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 on Consumer Protection Cooperation was adopted in 2004 to stop dishonest practices
of traders targeting consumers living in other EU countries. It lays down the framework and general conditions under which Member
States are to cooperate.
The Regulation sets up an EU-wide network of national enforcement authorities with similar investigation and
enforcement powers. Under the new system, each of these authorities are able to call on other members of the network for assistance
in investigating possible breaches of consumer laws and in taking action against rogue traders.
The network will tackle breaches of consumer law in a variety of areas such as misleading advertising, package
holidays, timeshares and distance selling. Typical examples are stopping certain timeshare companies from using hard selling
techniques or businesses offering their goods through the internet but not informing correctly about terms and conditions of contracts
(e.g. right to withdraw from a contract without penalty; terms of delivery, administrative expenses). The network will also help
stopping cross-border scams such as deceptive prize draws/international lotteries.
The EU-wide network of enforcement authorities formally started its operations end of 2006, but will be officially
launched by Commissioner M. Kuneva on 28 February 2007 on the occasion of the first of regular meetings of EU enforcement authorities.
The Regulation further sets out supporting measures to foster expertise and cooperation between authorities as well
as the possibility of international cooperation agreements with third countries.
Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004
of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 October 2004 on cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement
of consumer protection laws. Text with EEA relevance (the Regulation on Consumer Protection Cooperation)
Press Releases
Reference documents
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