Establishment of the Ministry for Consumer Protection, the first ministry exclusively dedicated to consumers
In Luxembourg, consumer protection has been on the agenda for a long time. Until present, several ministries or state-supported institutions have been responsible for various aspects of consumer protection.
However, the context has changed. In the digital age, consumers are confronted with new economic models giving them new choices or roles. Consumers therefore require more transparency and safety.
The Government has therefore decided to create a new ministry exclusively dedicated to consumer protection, the Ministry for Consumer Protection (MPC).
Attributions of the MPC
The MPC’s duties have been defined in the Grand-Duchy Regulation establishing the ministries.
- Policy for the legal protection of consumers: Policy for consumption on the single market and on the national market – Consumer Council – Code of Consumption, legal part and application side – Travellers rights – Relations with the European Consumer Centre EIG – Relations with the Luxembourg Consumer Protection Association (ULC).
- Food safety: Food chain safety – Establishment of an effective control and sanctions system for food products – Information and awareness-raising aimed at the public – Coordination of laboratory control activities – Hygiene barometer – Monitoring of establishments dealing with food, official controls of foodstuffs and the food chain, and of materials and objects in contact with food.
With the law of 12/07/2022, all activities in the field of food safety have been grouped together within a single administration, ALVA, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development.
In addition to the direct duties under the responsibility of the MPC, all ministries are required to contribute to the National Sustainable Development Plan (PNDD). In this context, the MPC can act mainly in the fields of the promotion of sustainable consumption and production, i.e. Action field no. 3 as defined by the Luxembourgish Government.
The ambitions of the MPC
The MPC aims to create a reassuring environment for consumers, i.e. one that is healthy and safe, and in which laws efficiently protect consumers from wrongdoings, and provide them with necessary, transparent information allowing them to make responsible consumption choices.
The MPC aims to:
- protect consumers
- inform consumers
- promote responsible consumption among the population
The MPC’s activities are based on three strategic pillars: