Summary

The article is primarily concerned with exploration of the legal characteristics of the concepts of consumer and supplier in consumer legislation.
First, the author addresses various problems in legal theory to find an appropriate legal basis for defining parties to consumer contracts. One of the most important issues is whether or not the concept of consumer should cover small traders. Also, different approaches to the concept of supplier in theory are analysed. The author compares the definitions of persons in consumer protection legislation in Baltic Sea area countries. An example of the protection of enterprises under consumer protection legislation is brought from Australian legislation. Special attention is paid to the definition of consumer in EC legislation in view of harmonised approach used by all EU Member States. The author provides a short overview of definitions of consumer in the EC Treaty, case law of the Court of Justice and in secondary Community legislation.