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The European Consumer Law Group (ECLG) is a group of lawyers
from consumer organisations and law scholars undertaking research
in the field of consumer law.
It was established in London 1977 with the
purpose of strengthening the links between practitioners
and researchers involved in the promotion of consumer interests
in their respective countries. The group aims to issue policy
reports and recommendations addressed to all actors involved
in European Consumer Law and policy making, such as national
and community authorities, consumer advocates and academics.
The group also provides a forum for facilitating and improving
co-operation and information exchange between its members.
Currently the ECLG is a project under the
Commissions’ call for tender “for specific projects to
promote the interest of consumers” (Article 2 (c) of Decision
283/1999/EC –of 14.09.2002). It permits consumer organisations
to co-operate with academic experts in order to elaborate
profound and encompassing legal reasoning when developing
responses and positions in relation to consultations or
legislative proposals issued at EU level. The Group’s
reports aim at providing a source of information for all
people involved in consumer policy making, particularly
for consumer organisations.
Two collections of the opinions and reports
of the ECLG have been published so far: The reports
adopted between April 1986 and October 1997, were published
in 1997 by the Centre de Droit de la consommation in
Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. Issues covered by the opinions
and reports are for example: consumers in dept, exports
of dangerous products from the territory of the European
Communities, revising the EC Treaty and consumer provisions,
trans-border TV advertising, intellectual property rights,
data protection etc.. Earlier reports by the Group had
been published in 1984 also by the Centre de Droit de
la consommation: ECLG Reports and Opinions (September
1977-March 1984). ECLG Rapports et avis (September 1977-Mars
1984), Bruylant, Bruxelles; 1984.
A selection of the reports adopted
after 1997 can be found on this site.
The current work programme covers
recent initiatives of the European Commission in
the areas of Trade Practices and Competition, Contract
Law, Financial Services and Access to Justice, such
as e.g. the Proposal of a Directive on Unfair Commercial
Practices and The Follow-up on the Communication
on European Contract Law as well as the Proposal
for a Directive on a Comprehensive Legislative Framework
for Payments in the Internal Market and the Regulation
Rome II on the Law applicable to non-contractual
obligations. In addition to that policy reports
will examine e.g. the relationship of Competition
Law and Consumer Protection and the Role of Class
Actions.
Reports and policy papers will
be published throughout the year 2004 and in beginning
of 2005.
In early 2005 an oversight of
national developments in EU countries in the
field of consumer policy will be published.
BEUC (The European Consumers'
Organisation) provides the secretariat and
other support for the Group.
To contact the group please
write an e-mail to: eclg.secretariat@beuc.org
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