Experts Discussed Measure for Protection of Online Consumers

Digitalisation quickly changes the market, and therefore changes to consumer protection rules are needed, especially for online shopping. In a meeting in Sofia on the European Consumer Day, 20^th of March, experts discussed relevant topics.

Bulgarian consumers are taking an increasing interest in their rights. More than 20,000 complaints are filed annually at the Commission for Consumer Protection.

Dimitar Margaritov, Chair of Bulgaria’s Commission for Consumer Protection has said that in online trade, people most often contact the commission either because traders in some way hinder the exercise of their fundamental rights, such as the right to renounce a 14-day purchase or the right to claim for defective goods.

There is often no clear explanation about the goods, and in the small print, consumers do not always understand who pays the cost of delivery. In order to have more transparency in online commerce, the European Commission is preparing a number of amendments.

We want these shops to clearly inform consumers who they sign a contract with, Deputy Director-General for Justice and Consumers Francesco Fonseca Morillo said.

If the traders in Bulgaria leave out important information or mislead, they will face a fine up to BGN 30,000.

In France, Poland and the Netherlands, the fine for unfair commercial practices reaches 10% of the annual turnover of the company, we want better harmonization and better proportionality of sanctions in all countries, he added.

Within the framework of the Bulgarian Presidency, it is also discussed that the institutions exercising control over traders should gain more rights over the electronic content: the possibility to remove such content when it does not meet the requirements of the law, the possibility for the users to use all the electronic content services for which they pay a subscription in their own country, on the territory of the whole EU, Dimitar Margaritov said.

In the vent of cancelled flights, there is also a new possibility for filing collective claims by the passengers concerned.