Institutionalization of the Federal Council for Consumers

Resolution No. 464-E/ 2017 from the Secretariat of Commerce of the Ministry of Production was published in the Official Gazette on June 16, 2017, and institutionalizes the Federal Council for Consumers created as a federal instance for the coordination of policies related to consumer issues.

Although the Federal Council of Consumption has operated since 1992, it had not been institutionalized. This Resolution provides a space for advice, analysis and exchange of information between its members and the promotion and cooperation for the development of public policies related to consumer protection, education and defense.

The Federal Council for Consumers will consist of the National Direction of Consumer Protection, dependent on the Under-Secretariat of Interior Commerce of the Secretariat of Commerce of the Ministry of Production and the enforcement authorities from the provinces and the City of Buenos Aires.

This Resolution entered into force on its publication in the Official Gazette and every jurisdiction will have to register at the Federal Council as a full member through the enactment of an administrative act or document, in accordance with their legal procedures.

The following duties are assigned to the Federal Council for Consumers:

(I) Promote consumers’ and users’ education with the aims of:

a) Reinforcing freedom of choice and optimizing rationality in the consumption of goods and services;

b) Facilitating the comprehension and use of information provided to users and consumers from suppliers;

c) Disseminating the knowledge of consumers´- and users´ duties and rights and an accurate way of exercising them;

d) Fostering risk-prevention that may result from the consumption of products or the use of services.

(II) Tend towards an accounting criteria regarding the application of public policies related to consumption, including proposals of modification and harmonization of the current legislation in consumer protection.

(III) Exchange information between the productive sectors to favor the production and commercialization of goods intended for consumption.

(IV) Promote the installation of public information agencies for consumers that carry out the minimum following functions:

a) Disseminate study results, comparative analysis, trials and quality controls of products and services;

b) Manage the reception, registration and acknowledgement of receipt of consumers’ complaints and their referral to the corresponding entities or agencies.

(V) Stimulate the creation of consumers’ associations, allowing for permanent exchange and collaboration to keep national and local registers updated.

(VI) Gather information from public and private entities related to consumer protection.

(VII) Request the collaboration of entities and control bodies with competence in the field to improve the attention of consumers’ and users’ problems.

(VIII) Request the collaboration of public and private institutions, specialized university departments and any other technical agencies to conduct studies, comparative analysis, and quality controls of products and services and to disseminate their results.

(IX) Propose to the competent authorities the concession of scholarships for the staff of the different departments, to make ongoing training in the field of consumer protection.

(X) Promote the exchange of information and collaboration for the realization of actions intended for consumer protection between the consumers and international public and private consumer protection institutions.

(XI) Provide advice to the Argentine Congress and the Provincial Legislatures regarding the issue of consumer legislation.

(XII) Reinforce institutional relationships with other official entities with competence in consumption or regulatory authorities of public services.

This resolution seeks to consolidate the Federal Council for Consumers by strengthening inter-jurisdictional relationships and allowing for more efficient federal planning in consumer protection, such as product recall, risk prevention and evening up asymmetric information in the consumer-supplier relationship.