City drafts consumer rights framework

City drafts consumer rights framework

• Source: Global Times
• [10:16 March 09 2011]
• Comments

By Fang Yunyu

The city is planning to establish a massive consumer rights supervision framework during the Twelfth Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), according to the municipal government official website.

Today marks the last day the city will collect public opinion on the 28-page plan draft, which was released on the website March 2.

In order to address unspecific market regulations and lack of communication between governmental departments, the framework would include an expert committee to curb false advertising, an e-commerce inspection team and a joint commission to help coordinate efforts between departments.

"The authorities will also draft regulations and penalties in detail to help better protect consumers," Liu Yongqing, the spokesman of the Beijing Administration for Industry and Commerce, told the Global Times.

However, Liu said he was unable to disclose any further details regarding the system, as it involves many departments such as the Administration of Quality and Technology Supervision and the Intellectual Property Office.

The industry and commerce bureau addressed 101,900 consumer complaints between 2006 and 2010, which resulted in the recovery of 79.35 million yuan ($12.11 million) in consumer losses, according to the plan draft.

"More than half of the cases I hear of are fought in vain," Zhang Zhiqiang, a consumer rights protection lawyer with Beijing Yixing Law Firm, told the Global Times.

Zhang explained that due to vaguely defined regulations, departments lack sufficient legal power to fight on the consumers' behalf.

"Protecting consumer rights involves departments working together, such as quality inspection authorities and public security," Zhang said,

"Bringing them together may help solve disputes more effectively. However, it is up to the authorities to monitor their departments from shirking responsibilities," he added.