ROMANIA The European Consumer Centre in Romania started its activities in January 2008. Its official opening
EUROPEAN CONSUMER CENTRE ROMANIA
was held on 5 February at the European Commission Representation in the presence of Commissioner
CENTRUL EUROPEAN AL CONSUMATORILOR
Kuneva and the President of the National Authority for Consumer Protection Mr Dan Vlaicu. The
DIN ROMANIA
event was extensively covered in the media, as it was attended by representatives of 14 national
Bd. Nicolae Balcescu nr. 32-34, Etaj 4, 16(1-3),
newspapers and magazines, 3 news agencies, 6 radio stations and 12 television channels (one of
Sector 1
which transmitted the event live).
010055 Bucharest
On the same occasion ECC Romania also launched its website www.eccromania.ro, which has received 8 532 visitors since February 2008, with 6 596 single visits and 26 431 page visits. ECC Romania’s main activity – handling consumer complaints – started in February.
Director: Razvan Resmerita +40/ 21 315 71 49 7 +40/ 21 315 71 49
Events
office@eccromania.ro
In March ECC Romania participated in the European and national celebrations of Consumer Day and
www.eccromania.ro
International Consumer Day. It organised the national selection panel to choose the best consumer information campaign in Romania in 2007. The centre organised three workshops in different high schools and two in the Economic Sciences Academy in Bucharest.
Promotional activities ECC Romania promoted its services for consumers by participating in different TV and radio shows with national coverage and by issuing press releases. The contacts between the host organisation and one of the leading Romanian newspapers gave the centre free advertisements in the newspaper starting in July 2008. ECC Romania also signed an agreement with the National Authority for Consumer Protection, opening up the possibility to use its local offices as entry points for complaints and as dissemination points for information. ECC Romania distributed six electronic information sheets in Romanian and English, covering distance selling and unfair commercial practices (February 2008), e-commerce (March 2008), consumer credit (March 2008), air passenger rights (April 2008), ADR/mediation (April 2008), consumer sales and associated guarantees (September 2008). It also produced an electronic information sheet in Romanian on the general rights of consumers (January 2008). In cooperation with ECC Hungary, ECC Romania produced another electronic information sheet on rights of consumers purchasing goods in Romania and Hungary with a printed version in English.
Network activities The centre established contacts with Romanian flight operators and concluded agreements with the Romanian NEB and one of the operators, in order to find faster solutions to complaints from consumers regarding passenger rights. ECC Romania participated in two joint ECC-Net projects by preparing the material for the ‘Tourism’ and ‘Shopping in Europe’ projects.
ADR/complaints ECC Romania started discussions with the relevant ministry on notification to the European Commission of the mediation service organised by the National Authority for Communications and Information Technology. By the end of 2008, this body had filled in the application form for designation as an ADR body under Commission Recommendation 98/257.
2008 ANNUAL REPORT || The European Consumer Centres Network || 47