Consumer issues
The
administration of consumer affairs has been entrusted to the Ministry of Employment
and the Economy who is in charge of consumer policy. Among the most important
tasks of the Ministry in the field of consumer affairs we can mention Finnish
initiatives to develop the EU consumer law, preparation of Finnish opinions for
the decision-making in the EU and developing the consumer law together with the
Finnish Ministry of Justice. Other important tasks are cooperation with the
Nordic countries and other international cooperation on consumer issues,
contacts with the advisory committees acting in conjunction with the Ministry
and issues relating to the government agencies in the administrative sector of
the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.
There are two government agencies dealing with consumer issues in the
administrative sector of the Ministry, namely The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority
and the National Consumer Research Centre. The duties of The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority comprise monitoring of marketing and contractual terms, dissemination
of consumer information, management of consumer advice and debt and money
advice and making price comparisons and investigations. The National Consumer
Research Centre is a neutral and independent research institute that carries
out research on consumer goods, the position of consumers and the effects of
consumption.
The Consumer Disputes Board issues recommendations concerning consumer disputes involving the quality of goods and services and the performance of a trader. The Consumer Disputes Board falls within the administrative sector of Ministry of Justice.
