The consumer protection league dealt with around 5,000 disputes last year. It has been growing steadily and celebrated sixty years on Tuesday.
It was founded on 14 December 1960 by 7 unions and cooperatives to keep a critical eye on businesses. The statutes were changed five years later to allow private citizens to join. But the main goal always remained the same, said ULC president Nico Hoffmann.
“The main job of the ULC is information, advice, education, awareness raising and defense of the consumer. Information sharing and education of ‘the critical consumer’ is an important part of our work,” says Nico Hoffmann.
40-45 percent of people contacting the ULC have an issue with housing, either during construction or as renters. But the ULC covers a wide area of responsibilities.
Chamber president Fernand Etgen: “The ULC is no longer limited to the classic goods and services. We are active in a long list of areas, be it insurance, housing, construction, contracts, the banking sector, food, health, travel and eCommerce.”
The ULC doesn’t just provide information, but also gives legal support to their members, if necessary. It can cover half of legal costs up to a limit of 10,000 Euro. But 99% of disputes can be solved immediately, says Nico Hoffmann. Less than one percent end up in the courts.
Marc Fischer, senior adviser at the Ministry for Consumer Protection, stresses that an informed customer is very important: “Everyone who acts as an informed consumer actively helps determine what and how to produce, and which services are offered.”
The ULC has an agreement with the Ministry for Consumer Protection and receives financial aids from the government. To further strengthen consumers, the ULC now demands that the draft law allowing class action lawsuits should pass the Chamber of Deputies as quickly as possible next year.
