Proposition 51K2978

Projet de loi relatif à la protection des consommateurs en ce qui concerne les services de radiotransmission et de radiodistribution.

General information ¶

Submitted by

PS | SP MR Open Vld Vooruit Purple Ⅰ

Submission date

March 8, 2007

Official page

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Status

Adopted

Requirement

Simple

Subjects

EC Directive consumer protection consumer information electronic mail Internet access provider broadcasting telecommunications television transmission network universal service

Voting ¶

Voted to adopt

CD&V Vooruit Ecolo LE PS | SP Open Vld MR FN VB

Contact form ¶

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Discussion ¶

April 19, 2007 | Plenary session (Chamber of representatives)

Full source

With the Act of 13 June 2005 on Electronic Communications, the Federal Government has transposed the main part of the Telecommunications Directives into Belgian law. The proposed draft law concerns the transposition of the last provisions concerning consumer protection for radio and television broadcasting. The draft includes provisions on the information that operators must provide to consumers, the obligations relating to the contractual provisions and the cooperation of the Telecommunications Ombudsman.

Ms. Trees Pieters asked why the bill was not discussed as early as March, when it was on the committee’s agenda. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Budget and Consumer Affairs replied that the draft was brought by her to the Consultation Committee because it is so close to the competences of the Communities. The Consultation Committee of 30 March took note of the opinion of the Flemish Government regarding this file. Where possible, the advice of the Flemish Government was taken into account. Three proposals were rejected because they would reduce the protection of consumers, in particular the proposal to eliminate the possibility for the King to impose model contracts, the proposal to eliminate the provision that the components of the tariffs must be described for the consumer and the proposal to eliminate the provision to allow the consumer to give up free of charge for a tariff increase up to one month after receipt of the new invoice.

Ms. Pieters regrets the broad powers granted by the draft law to officials with regard to the detection of infringements and prosecution. Officials have the same independence and impartiality as judges. The Minister understands this comment and says that it is important to find a good balance.

Finally, the Minister submitted a number of technical amendments. These are merely technical adjustments to the terminology of the draft law in order to bring it in line with the broadcasting legislation of the Communities. No comments are made to these articles. The amendments, as well as the Articles 1 to 19, as amended, shall then be adopted unanimously, subject to technical corrections.

The entire draft law is unanimously adopted.

I thank the reporter.