World Consumer Rights Day Conference with a difference
  

Next Wednesday is World Consumer Rights Day.  It has now become a practice that the Consumer Affairs Council organises a yearly conference on this day where an issue, which concerns consumers, is discussed.  One of the main characteristics has always been an overseas keynote speaker who would provide the Maltese audience with the experience in other countries. 

This time, the Consumer Affairs Council, the International Association of Consumer Law and the Ministry for Competitiveness and Communications will organise this conference with a difference.  This Conference which will be held over one and a half days will cover a number of issues – Consumer Credit, Sale of Goods and Unfair Commercial Practices. 

This Conference -  Promoting Consumer Interests - will provide a unique opportunity to practising lawyers to discuss with fellow overseas lawyers the above issues.  The Conference is also of particular interest to bankers and other financial institutions, members of the media, firms and the general public regarding the rights and obligations related to the sale of goods, consumer credit and unfair commercial practices. 

It will be held on the 16^th and 17^th March 2006 at the Corinthia Marina Hotel.  This conference is going to attract a large number of overseas lawyers, mainly from within the EU. This conference is in reality one of the annual meetings of the International Association of Consumer Law. 

The conference will be opened by the Hon. Minister Censu Galea, Minister for Competitiveness and Communications.  The two other opening speeches will be delivered by Ms Carmen Delia, Chairperson - Consumer Affairs Council and Professor Geraint Howells, Lancaster Law School. 

The main speakers dealing with the Sale of Goods will be Dr David Fabri, Mr Gianluca Sepe, Dr Evi Paparseniou, Professor Elisabetta Bergamini, Mr Renato Gomes, Professor Klaws Tonner and Dr Margus Kingisepp. 

Professor Udo Reifner, Professor Arnold S Rosenberg, Professor Dr Reinhard Steennot, Professor Dr Peter Rott and Ing. Libor Dupal will speak on the experiences of Consumer Credit in other countries. 

The final session which is to be held on the 17^th March 2006 will deal with Unfair Commercial Practices.  The speakers will be Professor Geraint Howells, Dr Jorge Pegado Liz, Professor Chris Willett, Dr Annette Nordhausen, Dr Eugene Buttigieg, Dr Rossella Incardona and Dr Jan Bartholl. 

The Conference was made possible through the good contacts of Dr Paul E. Micallef.  This activity is being sponsored by the Ministry for Competitiveness and Communications and APS Bank.  

Interested parties should contact Ms Sue Ellen Grixti, Office of the Consumer Affairs Council, on either 21239892 or 21227070. 

 
DOI – 13.03.2006