Completing the legal framework to protect consumers' interests

The draft Law on Consumer Protection (amended) with many new contents supplementing and replacing current regulations is expected to contribute to changing and further improving this work.

The amendment of the Law on Consumer Protection is expected to further improve the legal framework in this work.

According to Ms. Le Thi Thanh Lam, Deputy Head of the Delegation in charge of the Provincial Delegation of the National Assembly, one of the notable new provisions of the draft Law on Protection of Consumer Rights (amended) is that there are many specific provisions. on protecting consumer interests for transactions between consumers and organizations and individuals doing business in cyberspace.

Protecting consumers in cyberspace

Specifically, Article 39 of the draft stipulates the responsibilities of organizations and individuals doing business with consumers in transactions on cyberspace to accurately and fully provide consumers with information about goods such as: price, quality, origin, origin, delivery costs, process of handling and receiving complaints...

Particularly for organizations that establish and operate intermediary digital platforms, they must appoint and publicly announce their contact points and authorized representatives to coordinate with state management agencies in solving problems. resolve issues related to consumer protection. At the same time, allowing consumers to give feedback and reviews about business organizations and individuals, display the results of that feedback and evaluation.

Notably, the draft clearly stipulates the responsibility to warn consumers in transactions in cyberspace. Accordingly, the competent authorities have the right to publish a list of organizations and individuals doing business in cyberspace that have committed acts of violating the legitimate rights and interests of consumers and are handled according to regulations.

In addition, the list of organizations and individuals doing business in cyberspace that commit acts of violating the law on consumer rights will be handled by competent foreign agencies and affect consumers' interests. Vietnam.

Mr. Dong Viet Phuong, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Justice, said that at present, the trend of online shopping is increasing. Therefore, the drafting of additional laws, completing many mechanisms will better protect the interests of consumers in cyberspace. This will cause individuals and organizations doing business online to strictly comply with regulations and take measures to handle unscrupulous online business establishments and businesses, defrauding customers.

"For online purchases, I also suggest that the prohibited act in Article 10 for business individuals and organizations is "not allowing consumers to see and check goods before receiving them". Due to the fact that many customers when buying online are not checked, which has led to fraud, selling fake and poor quality goods, "Mr. Phuong emphasized.

Vulnerable objects will be protected

In Article 8 of the draft law, there are also provisions on protection of vulnerable consumers' interests. According to the assessment, this is a completely new regulation compared to the current law.

Mr. Nguyen Van Quan, Director of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade, said that vulnerable consumers according to the draft are listed as follows: the elderly, people with disabilities, children, ethnic minorities, and women. Women who are pregnant or raising children under 12 months old, people with serious diseases, members of poor households, etc.

Therefore, according to Mr. Quan, the draft is dedicated to a specific, clear and detailed law on the protection of vulnerable consumers, as well as the principles of consumer protection in Article 6. of the draft is a new step. That will contribute to helping these target groups not be disadvantaged when participating in transactions.

Agreeing with the protection of disadvantaged groups, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Manh, Vice Chairman of the Provincial Lawyers Association, said: "Vulnerable consumers are vulnerable, so in my opinion, the draft must clearly define their own policies, specifically when their rights are infringed, which agency or organization they should contact, and the responsibilities of that agency or organization in supporting these subjects should be clearly stated.

Article, photo: D.B