International consumer projects and organizations

The Catalan Consumer Agency, hereafter the ACC, has been present in Europe since 1988, cooperating with institutions and associations working for the welfare of consumers in other European countries.

A founder member of the former European Inter-regional Consumer Institute (EICI), the European Consumer Centre forming part of the network co-financed by the European Commission, the ACC has always been keen not only to protect Catalan consumers within our borders but also to guarantee their right to information when they go anywhere in the EU, as well as guaranteeing the rights of European consumers using the services of professionals from this country or buying products here.

The ACC has also taken part in Europe-wide products with other regions and with consumer associations from other countries:

NEPIM. Network for the promotion of sustainable consumption in European regions. 

When the initial NEPIM project came to an end in 2007, the members of the network met in Barcelona on 8 May 2008 to debate its continuity.

• Press release of the meeting
• Constitution of the new NEPIM

Presentation of NEPIM - Network for the promotion of the internal market in European regions though consumer topics- to the Committee of the Regions on 17 June 2009.

17 June 2009 saw the official presentation of the NEPIM network to the Committee of the Regions of the European Union. The network is an international non-profit association governed by Belgian law – Foundation Act (French and Flemish) - and intends to continue working on issues related to consumer affairs in the EU, as it has been doing since 2005 thanks to the Interreg programme IIIC (site in English and French). From the beginning, the Catalan Consumer Agency has been one of the driving forces behind this network of agencies.

The NEPIM will continue to work to achieve the following objectives:

• Creation of a forum for the various consumer organizations around Europe
• Promotional activities of the network in different European regions in order to promote more sustainable consumer policies and make them participant in the consumer policy strategy in Europe
• To become one of the partners with the institutions of the European Union for the development of consumer policy
• Active participation in European projects aimed at developing and promoting good practice in the field of consumer protection across the European regions

The director of the Catalan Consumer Agency is a member of the Board of this organization and was present at the presentation of NEPIM, along with the head of the Research and Communications Service of the Agency.

NEPIM's Act (in French and Flemish).

Cooperation with the Direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des fraudes , of the French Government's Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry:

• Exchange of consumer inspectors with the French Government's Regional and Departmental Directorate General of Competition, Consumer Affairs and the Suppression of Fraud.
• Common market monitoring campaings (e.g. product safety).
• Cooperation between Universities and the respective Administrations (possibility of holding conferences, seminars, courses, etc. with the universities of Montpellier, Perpignan, Barcelona, etc.
• Exchange of files or cross-border cases based on complaints by Catalan or French consumers against Catalan or French companies or professionals (basically issues deriving from the tourism sector, but also other sectors like e-commerce, etc.)

Participation and cooperation with the European Association for Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion (EUROSAFE) , of which the Catalan Consumer Agency is an institutional member. EUROSAFE's principal vision is working to make Europe a safer place.

Collaboration and publication of safety guides and leaflets with the Commission de la Sécurité des Consommateurs 

Easy To Read Project: comparative study made between the ACC and consumers' associations and consumer bodies from different European regions analysing the clarity and usefulness of labelling on different domestic products and proposing measures to the European Commission to improve the applicable regulations. Original report (in French).

International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN)

The International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) is a network of governmental organizations involved in the enforcement of fair trade practice laws and other consumer protection activities. This network, whose members meet twice a year, is ruled by the principles contained in the Memorandum of Understanding.