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This year marks the 10-year anniversary since the European Commission, together with national governments, established a network of European Consumer Centres (ECC) in all 28 Member States of the European Union, Norway and Iceland. The ECC-Net promotes the understanding of EU consumers' rights and assists in resolving complaints about purchases made in another country of the network, when travelling or shopping online.

Over the last 10 years, the ECCs received more than 650,000 requests for information about EU consumer rights and assisted about 300,000 consumers. More than two thirds of the complaints received by the ECC-Net are about cross border e-commerce, reflecting the interest of consumers in a well-functioning Digital Single Market. The ECCs are also there to make sure things go right from the start. In fact, many of the complaints were solved in an amicable manner between consumers and traders.

With the help of the ECCs people feel informed about their consumer rights and reassured when buying online across the EU – they know in advance how they are protected if something were to go wrong.

The European Consumer Summit, taking place 1-2 June in the Commission's Charlemagne Building, is an annual forum which will gather over 500 key European and international policy-makers and stakeholders, including representatives from the European Parliament, governments and national authorities, consumer organisations, academia and business. To mark the occasion, the European Commission announces the results of a coordinated effort with national consumer enforcers, who were tasked with screening how websites selling electronic devices apply EU legislation on product guarantees. The summit is also an occasion to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the European Consumer Centres Network, which serve as a way to inform EU consumers about their rights and help them deal with issues relating to cross border purchases. Speaking at the event, Commissioner Jourová stressed the importance of the Digital Single Market: "This initiative should bring the best possible deal for consumers in a more and more digital society. They should be able to make choices whilst benefiting from protection. They should be empowered to engage confidently in the Digital Single Market."

The OECD Global Awareness-raising Campaign on Laundry Detergent Capsules (16 to 23 March 2015) aims to inform of the risks posed by a product that is present in growing number of households worldwide: laundry detergent capsules (or packets). These products can be attractive to children and can pose serious dangers if not handled and stored safely.

Over 16 000 people, mostly children, are exposed to the chemicals in laundry capsules on a yearly basis globally. Tactile and colourful, kids often mistake these capsules for sweets. The consequences of exposure may include eye, skin or ingestion problems. Check our tips on safe storage and use, or what to do in case of exposure.

http://ec.europa.eu/…/consumer-marketi…/events/150316_en.htm

Strengthening professional cooperation with neighbouring countries is a pivotal endeavour of the Ministry of National Development and the Hungarian Authority for Consumer Protection. In terms of these international relations, the ministry and the authority are determined to form and maintain cooperation which is practice-oriented and based on mutual dialogue.

The other essential aspect of developing international partnerships is to provide experiences Hungary had gained under EU membership to countries in the path of accession – especially to partners from the Western Balkans. These efforts predominated jointly at the professional consultation in Bosnia-Herzegovina in November 2014 and do so concerning developing consumer protection relations between Serbia and Hungary.  >>>

The Deputy State Secretariat for Consumer Protection of the Ministry of National Development in conjunction with the Hungarian Authority for Consumer Protection (HACP) is wishing to put great emphasis on the elaboration and deepening of professional cooperation with partner organizations of neighboring countries and of the region.