The making of consumer law and policy in Europe and Italy

Abstract:

Before the creation of the European Economic Community in 1957 the Italian legal system did not know the notion of consumer in its legal meaning: 'consumer' was a sociological and economic concept. But for a quotation of this term in the Report made in 1942 by the Minister of Justice to the King concerning the presentation of the new Civil Code, no statute had any reference to it.

Only with the enactement of EC directives in different fields and only with the development of product liability did the notion of 'consumer' begin to be a solid concept with important legal aspects. Today consumers occupy a relevent place in the market, in contract law, in tort law, and also in competition law, and consumers' associations are strong counterparties of entrepreneurs.