World Consumer Day is celebrated since 15 March 1983. The celebration of World Consumer Rights Day has its origins in former US President John F. Kennedy’s “Declaration of four basic consumers rights” from 15 March 1962.

This Declaration defines four basic consumer rights on goods and services market: the right to safety of goods and services, the right to complete, accurate and timely information, the right to choose goods and services and the right of consumers to be heard. Consumer International, the world federation of consumer groups, added a few consumer rights to this: the right to satisfaction of basic needs, the right to redress, the right to education and the right to a healthy environment.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are 18 consumer associations (list of associations) and the area of ​​consumer protection is regulated by the Consumer Protection Act in BiH, the Law on Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, the Law on Market Surveillance and the Law on General Product Safety. BiH Consumer Protection Council is operating within the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, and the Institution of Consumer Protection Ombudsman in BiH (http://www.ozp.gov.ba) has also been established.

Consumers and standardization

In 1964, the Council of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has adopted a Resolution (48/1964) to promote consumer participation in standardization. In 1977, ISO Council established an advisory committee for consumer issues (Committee on Consumer Policy - COPOLCO) with the participation of IEC.

General Product Safety Directive 2001/95/EC has been adopted at the European and the European Association for the Co-ordination of Consumer Representation – ANEC has been established.

By adopting standards for products and services the Institute for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina directly contributes to the protection of consumer rights. Product standards are determining and defining technical terms, symbols and signs to prevent misunderstandings; defining requirements for health safety, security and environmental protection; defining “interface” and the benefits for the application. Service standards are defining criteria for servicing cars, renting, housing, postal services, telecommunications, transportation, utilities, etc.

Standardization objectives in the service sector are: setting minimum quality requirements, standardization of methods for measuring the set requirements, requirements for valid information and safety requirements.

Priority areas for standardization from the consumer point of view are: small electric and electronic appliances, large household appliances, medical and hospital services, and medical home use devices, child related products : toys, child care articles, playground equipment, child resistant devices, contraceptives, “smart cards” including banking services, equipment for persons with disabilities, environmental management systems, eco-labeling, protective clothing and equipment, sport equipment, bicycles, furniture, air and water quality, public information symbols.

The high degree of consumer protection and education on basic consumer rights and responsibilities is one of the priority objectives of any civil society. The rights of consumers or a customer, must be observed daily, and the best way of proving and monitoring those rights is through various forms of product and services conformity assessment offered to consumers.

Dear consumer, congratulations on World Consumer Rights Day!