Summary

While the rules of fair competition between manufacturers, mediators and vendors are enacted by the law of unfair competition the rules of the game and guarantees of consumers as of the weakest link in market relations are enacted by the consumer protection law.

In the establishment contract of the European Economic Union enactments on consumer protection were absent. Later, in 1968, an independent consumer protection unit was formed in the management structure dealing with problems of competition. This unit began to co-ordinate the consumer protection policy of the Union. In 1975 the Council of Ministers approved the first program in the field of consumer protection and information. The second, advanced program, was adopted in 1981. A new stage in the development of consumer protection began on February 7, 1992 with the so-called Maastricht Agreement where the Rome Agreement was amended with a subdivision “Consumer protection”. By the end of 1992 42 directives in the field of consumer protection had been adopted in the EU. A three year program has been drawn up for years 1993-1995. In the elaboration of its consumer protection policy and legislation it would be expedient for Estonia to proceed from the model of the EU.