Public and private transnational enforcement of EU consumer law

Abstract

This paper examines in some detail the two main EC law instruments containing specific provisions on powers to enforce consumer law: a 1998 Directive and a 2004 Regulation. The focus is on intra-Community infringements, the envisaged enforcers and their powers, and extraterritorial consumer protection, including a comparison with the Alpine Investments case. Their combined effect on a number of conceivable transnational enforcement scenarios is analysed. Conclusions are drawn in the light of the 2003 OECD Guidelines on transnational enforcement of consumer law, in order to answer this central question: What progress has been made with the 2004 Regulation and how does it fare when judged by the standards set by the OECD? Despite some shortcomings in the private law sphere (the public law aspects are largely satisfactory), the legislative framework improves on the ECJ’s case law by requiring equal protection of consumers based in the home State and abroad.

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