Deputies adopted amendments to the Consumer Protection Act on first reading

The amendments introduce the requirements of a European directive on representative actions for the protection of the collective interests of consumers, create conditions for the implementation of a European regulation on general product safety, and regulate market surveillance for general product safety in accordance with the European regulation.

Deputy Minister of Economy Doncho Barbalov explained that the directive on representative actions for consumers should have been introduced into our legislation by the end of 2022. Unfortunately, we are late and a criminal procedure has currently been launched against our country, he pointed out.

The bill significantly expands the material scope of representative actions for the protection of the collective interests of consumers. New areas are included, such as data protection, financial services, travel and tourism, energy, telecommunications, passenger rights, service provision, general product safety, etc. The circle of qualified organizations entitled to bring representative actions for legal remedies is being expanded. Such actions will be able to be brought not only by consumer associations, as is the case so far, but also by the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) and qualified organizations designated by EU Member States to bring cross-border representative actions.

The draft law defines the CPC as the single national contact point for Bulgaria in the European Rapid Alert System for the exchange of information on corrective measures taken for dangerous products. The amendments establish mandatory requirements for the recall of dangerous products and for the provision of information to consumers in cases of recall of dangerous products. Legal remedies are provided for consumer protection in the event of a recall of dangerous products - repair, replacement, price reduction, termination of the contract or refund of the funds paid.