The Parliament of North Macedonia adopted a new Consumer Protection Law (“Law”) which entered into force on 15 November 2022. The Law transposes various EU directives related to consumer protection, while clearly defining the obligations that traders have towards consumers. This Law will have a significant impact on the operations of companies providing/offering services/products to consumers.
Specific obligations are prescribed for traders in terms of price labeling, packaging, payment methods, liability for defective products, etc. The organization of promotional sales and seasonal reduction of prices is also regulated in more detail than with the previous law.
One of the novelties is the requirement for traders to provide the basic information and characteristics of the products, as well as all other accompanying documents (declarations, certificates, guarantees, user manuals, etc.) in Macedonian language and the language spoken by at least 20% of the citizens in North Macedonia (i.e. Albanian language). This does not exclude the possibility of using other languages, signs, or pictograms which are easily understandable for the consumer.
In addition to the above, the Law contributes to:
- creation of a legal framework which ensures a higher level of protection of consumer rights;
- establishment of an appropriate administrative structure for the development and coordination of consumer protection policies; and
- ensuring adequate conditions for implementing policies which impact product safety.
The Law offers legal solutions for better informing and educating consumers as well as providing instruments for prompt resolution of disputes and market supervision.
The misdemeanor provisions for traders are now reduced, while the role of consumer organizations is regulated more precisely, both at the national and local levels.
The information in this document does not constitute legal advice on any particular matter and is provided for general informational purposes only.
