Azerbaijan, Baku, March 13 / Trend /
Protecting consumers' rights is one of topical issues all over the world, including in Azerbaijan. The world marks 15th of March as the World Consumers' Rights Protection Day since 1983. "Recently, Azerbaijan has taken different measures on the World Consumers' Rights Protection Day," the Ministry of Economic Development said.
One of such measures is the conference on "Consumer Rights Protection is State's Priority Task" which was organized by the State Consumer Market Supervision Service at the Ministry of Economic Development on March 12 with participation of responsible state bodies, international and public organizations, as well as entrepreneurs.
State Consumer Market Supervision Service Chief Zahid Isayev opened the conference and made a report on successes which were achieved as a result of socio-economic reforms. National Leader Heydar Aliyev laid base of these reforms and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev continues the reforms successfully at the moment.
Economic growth and increasing people's incomes changed demand, taste and consumer habits on different goods, services. Moreover, consumers are paying more attention to protect their rights.
"Therefore, recently consumer right protection has become one of topical issues in our country," Isayev said. "At present we can say that a reliable system and state policy was formed in Azerbaijan to protect consumers' rights."
The modern Azerbaijani statehood Founder Heydar Aliyev laid a base of a state policy to protect consumers' rights in the country. National Leader Heydar Aliyev initiated to adopt the Law on Consumer Right Protection on Sept. 19 in 1995. After it, a juridical base on this field was formed.
Besides the abovementioned law, some normative-legal acts on consumer right protection were adopted. They are laws on Food Products, Veterinary, Fitosanitary Control, Standardization and Fishery. These documents comprehensively describe consumers' rights, including their rights are united in public organizations.
This, in turn, enabled to form consumers' public organizations and to conduct their activity in line with legislation.
Different executive bodies were formed to pursue state policy to protect consumers' rights.
On Dec. 28 in 2006, the Azerbaijani president issued a decree to form the State Consumer Market Supervision Service at the Ministry of Economic Development to protect consumers' rights, supervise over quality and safety of goods on the consumer market.
Although the State Service has been formed recently, it took some measures to protect consumers' rights. One of such measures includes monitoring and inspecting to reveal sub-quality food.
Moreover, to enlighten consumers, over 15,000 posters of 11 names and over 17,000 booklets of 10 names were developed and spread amongst people in Baku and regions. In this period, over 5,000 notifications on different topics have been sent to entrepreneurs to provide requirements of trade rules.
But there are still definite problems on this field. Therefore, it is necessary to hold agitation and enlightenment amongst entrepreneurs, as well as strengthen administrative measures to eliminate current shortages.
At the end of his speech, Isayev said the conference which was held under slogan of "Azerbaijan State - Guarantor of Consumer Rights" aims to inform society about importance to protect consumer rights, analyze current situation, improve legal and economic mechanisms, as well as hold joint discussions to establish ration relations amongst state bodies, entrepreneurs, public organizations and consumers.
Governmental officials, representatives of local and international organizations and entrepreneurs made speech at the conference.