Policy Choices in European Consumer law: Regulation through ‘Targeted Differentiation’
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Vanessa Mak
Abstract
This paper addresses the options proposed in the European Commission's Green Paper on European Contract Law from the viewpoint of law-making in European consumer law. In contrast to general contract law, this field is governed by mandatory, regulatory law rather than non-mandatory, default rules. This implies that the choices to be made differ from those in general contract law. In order to achieve the goals set out in the Green Paper – such as decreasing transaction costs, ensuring greater legal certainty, and enhancing consumer confidence –, it is submitted, policy choices in European consumer law will have to be tailored to this field specifically. Structural characteristics of existing EU consumer regulation can provide guidance for the policy choices that the legislator will have to make in the aftermath of the Green Paper.
Résumé
Cet article examine les options proposées par le livre vert de la Commission européenne sur le droit européen des contrats du point de vue de la fabrication du droit en droit européen de la consommation. En contraste avec le droit général des contrats, ce domaine est gouverné par du droit obligatoire et réglementaire plutôt que par du droit non obligatoire et des règles supplétives. Cela implique que les choix à faire diffèrent de ceux faits en droit général des contrats. Afin d'atteindre les buts fixés par le livre vert – comme la diminution des coûts de transaction, l'amélioration de la sécurité juridique et le renforcement de la confiance des consommateurs –, il est soutenu que les choix de politique en droit européen de la consommation devront être adaptés à ce champ spécifique. Des caractéristiques structurelles de l'actuelle régulation européenne en matière de consommation peut fournir un guide pour les choix politiques que le législateur aura à faire par suite du livre vert.
Zusammenfassung
Der Beitrag diskutiert die verschiedenen Optionen, die das Grünbuch der EU-Kommission zum Europäischen Vertragsrecht vorschlägt, aus der Perspektive Verbraucherrechts. Anders als sonstiges Vertragsrecht, ist dieses Gebiet geprägt durch zwingende Normen und Regulierung und nicht durch dispositives Recht. Daher differieren auch die Gestaltungsoptionen von denen im sonstigen Vertragsrecht. Um die Ziele zu erreichen, die sich das Grünbuch setzt, namentlich: um Kosten zu senken, größere Rechtssicherheit zu verbürgen und Verbrauchervertrauen zu stärken, müssen – so das Ergebnis des Beitrages – auch die rechtspolitischen Entscheidungen für dieses Gebiet speziell und separat getroffen werden. Strukturelle Eigenheiten des bestehenden Verbrauchervertragsrechts können dabei eine Leitlinie für die rechtspolitischen Entscheidungen vorgeben, die der Gesetzgeber im Gefolge des Gründbuches zu treffen hat.
Artikel in diesem Heft
- A Competitive Approach to EU Contract Law
- Choice, Certainty and Diversity: Why More is Less
- The Commission's 2010 Green Paper on European Contract Law: Reflections on Union Competence in Light of the Proposed Options
- European Contract Law Reform and European Consumer Law – Two Related But Distinct Regimes
- A European Civil Law – for Whom and What Should it Include? Reflections on the Scope of Application of a Future European Legal Instrument
- Is the DCFR ready to be adopted as an Optional Instrument?
- The Common Frame of Reference and the Relationship between National Law and European Law
- ‘Good-Bye Harmonisation by Directives, Hello Cross-Border only Regulation?’ – A way forward for EU Consumer Contract Law
- Policy Choices in European Consumer law: Regulation through ‘Targeted Differentiation’
- An Economic Analysis of Harmonization Regimes: Full Harmonization, Minimum Harmonization or Optional Instrument?
- Five political ideas of European contract law
- Green Paper on Policy Options for Progress Towards a European Contract Law for Consumers and Businesses What do we want?
- ‘Choice is good.’ Really?
- An Optional Instrument and Social dumping revisited
- Towards a European Contract Law through Social Dialogue
- General Conclusions
Artikel in diesem Heft
- A Competitive Approach to EU Contract Law
- Choice, Certainty and Diversity: Why More is Less
- The Commission's 2010 Green Paper on European Contract Law: Reflections on Union Competence in Light of the Proposed Options
- European Contract Law Reform and European Consumer Law – Two Related But Distinct Regimes
- A European Civil Law – for Whom and What Should it Include? Reflections on the Scope of Application of a Future European Legal Instrument
- Is the DCFR ready to be adopted as an Optional Instrument?
- The Common Frame of Reference and the Relationship between National Law and European Law
- ‘Good-Bye Harmonisation by Directives, Hello Cross-Border only Regulation?’ – A way forward for EU Consumer Contract Law
- Policy Choices in European Consumer law: Regulation through ‘Targeted Differentiation’
- An Economic Analysis of Harmonization Regimes: Full Harmonization, Minimum Harmonization or Optional Instrument?
- Five political ideas of European contract law
- Green Paper on Policy Options for Progress Towards a European Contract Law for Consumers and Businesses What do we want?
- ‘Choice is good.’ Really?
- An Optional Instrument and Social dumping revisited
- Towards a European Contract Law through Social Dialogue
- General Conclusions
