Consumer center South Tyrol

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Consumer Center South Tyrol
(VZS)
purpose Consumer protection organization and umbrella organization
Chair: Agostino Accarrino
Establishment date: March 8, 1993
Number of members: 6 consumer associations and over 10,200 individual members
Seat : Bolzano , Italy
Website: http://www.verbrauchzentrale.it

The Consumer Center South Tyrol (VZS) is a non-profit association for the Italian region of South Tyrol . Members are six consumer protection associations in South Tyrol and over 10,200 individual members. The current chairman is Agostino Accarrino, managing director is Walther Andreaus (as of 2018). The VZS is supported by the South Tyrolean provincial administration through the provincial law on consumer protection (No. 15/1992). In terms of Legislative Decree No. 206/2005 (Consumer Protection Code; Codice del consumo), it is one of 18 recognized consumer associations in Italy and therefore has representative authority within the meaning of the Consumer Protection Code.

aims

The consumer center South Tyrol is a provider-independent organization that aims to inform, advise, educate and support consumers in questions of private consumption . It protects and promotes the rights of citizens as consumers and users of goods and services for individual or community needs in the private and public sector (Art. 2 of the Statute). It wants to enforce transparency about production, properties and quality of goods and services and create equal opportunities between consumers and providers. Furthermore, the head office tries to protect consumer interests and to promote sustainable consumption. The consumer advice center has set itself the task of promoting consumer information, consumer advice and consumer education. It represents consumer interests vis-à-vis politics and business and coordinates the consumer policy work of the member associations.

target group

The services of the consumer advice center are available for private consumers. In addition to the member associations, cooperation with schools, educational institutions and multipliers is also sought. General advice and information is free. Membership is necessary for personal consultations or the members have to share the costs. The VZS helps with individual legal problems out of court. Exceptionally, liability for litigation costs is granted. It can also exercise the right to classify as provided for by the consumer protection code.

The following personal consultations are offered:

  • General consumer law
  • Financial services
  • Insurance and provision
  • electricity and gas
  • telecommunications
  • Condominium affairs
  • Building, living, energy
  • nutrition
  • to travel
  • Advice on tax issues
  • Critical / sustainable consumption

Cross-border consumer protection

The VZS is a co-sponsor of the European Consumer Center Italy (EVZ) within the European network ECC-NET, which is run by the EU Commission. It maintains branch offices in the most important places in South Tyrol and operates the so-called consumer vehicle. She also runs the consumer advice center in the neighboring region of Trentino .

Online arbitration

The Onlineschlichter.it/Conciliareonline.it is a neutral arbitration board for legal disputes in the field of electronic business transactions (e-commerce). It is based at the consumer center in South Tyrol. The aim of the online arbitrator is to bring about an out-of-court settlement of legal disputes between consumers and companies. The aim is to relieve the burden on the courts and give the consumer the opportunity to resolve complaints in online trading quickly, unbureaucratically and free of charge. Who has access to the online arbitration?

  • Consumers who have their place of residence or are established in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano or the Autonomous Province of Trento
  • Consumers resident in Europe and Italy who file an application against a company that has its legal seat in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano or in the Autonomous Province of Trento

The initiation of the procedure interrupts the legal process deadlines in accordance with Art. 141 quinquies of the Consumer Protection Code. Once the arbitration procedure has been completed, the deadlines start running again. The Onlineschlichter.it/Conciliareonline.it is available in German, Italian and English.

Info consumption

Infoconsum is the information and documentation center for consumer education of the VZS. The topics dealt with belong to the area of ​​consumption and economy and relate to the following areas:

  • Consumers and consumer protection in general
  • mobile phone
  • Advertising, apparel and brand loyalty
  • Internet security and media literacy

Teachers have the opportunity to deepen individual topics (e.g. saving, insurance, nutrition, public services, energy saving, building biology), whereby VZS consultants are also used.

Web links