The Government prepared a “manual” that can be applied in the provinces, municipalities and in the City of Buenos Aires to carry out the complaints of consumers considered in a “vulnerable situation.”
The Undersecretary of Consumer Defense dependent on Ministry of Economy defined the category of consumer “in a vulnerable situation” and defined a procedure to pursue claims. What is it about.
What is a consumer in a vulnerable situation?
One of the main characteristics of consumer relations – a universally accepted legal standard – is the situation of inequality or asymmetry in which a consumer is located, in your link with the professional provider of products or services.
That this generally follows not only from the superior bargaining power of the supplier facing the consumer, but is also characterized by the existing asymmetric information between the parties regarding the good, and the latter’s lack of knowledge – in general – regarding the product or service they contract.
That in the exposed framework it is pertinent to consider the new trends, updates on regulations and consumer principles and policies that are being developed in different international forums such as the COMPAL Program and the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Consumer Protection Law and Policy of UNCTAD, as well as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), among others.
“Vulnerable” consumers: why differential treatment will be carried out
In Provision 27/2024 published this Wednesday in the Official Gazette it is stated that in relation to the vulnerability character special that represent some categories of consumers already referenced, It is pertinent to provide a framework for action by the enforcement authority in order to specifically address the problems presented by these categories of consumers.
“It is essential not only to proceed with the definition of the category of consumers and its extension, but also to provide them with a special procedure to substantiate the claims of consumers who are considered to be in a vulnerable and disadvantaged situation.”
They also instigate that the provincial authorities implementing Law No. 24,240 and its amendments, the municipal authorities with jurisdiction in the matter and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires may adoptwithin their respective powers and attributions, the necessary measures to replicate the planned procedures for the special treatment of vulnerable and disadvantaged consumers, provided for in this provision, in their respective jurisdictions.
“Vulnerable” consumers: the keys to the new procedure
Source: Ambito
