Association for consumer information

Logo of the VKI

The Verein für Konsumenteninformation ( VKI ) is an Austrian non-profit consumer protection organization whose goals are independent and objective consumer information and the promotion of consumer interests . It was founded in 1961, is based in the 6th Viennese district of Mariahilf and employs 106 people (as of 2015).

history

The association was founded in early 1961 by the Austrian social partners . For the time being, the association only ran one advice center on Mariahilfer Strasse in Vienna . In the same year the test magazine Konsument was published for the first time on the initiative of the employee (and later managing director) Fritz Koppe . The Republic of Austria has also been an extraordinary member of the association since 1975. From 1990 to January 2017 Peter Kolba was head of the legal department. In December 2016, the Austrian Federation of Trade Unions (ÖGB) dissolved its association membership. Previously, the Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture had left the association after more than 52 years of membership.

organization

The VKI consists of an ordinary and an extraordinary member as follows:

• Chamber for workers and employees (full member)
• Republic of Austria, represented by the Federal Minister for Labor, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection (extraordinary member)

The association's share of self-financing is around 72%; the main source of income is the sale of publications. The club members contribute the remaining 28%.

tasks

Apart from the tests and information published in the magazine “Konsument”, as well as the advice in its own publishing house, the VKI also offers personal, telephone and electronic advice.

Due to the many sample lawsuits conducted by the VKI and the introduction of representative actions, the association is ultimately also involved in the further development of Austrian case law. Class actions help Austrian consumers to enforce their rights.

Together with the Federal Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection, the association prepares the annual “Report on the Situation of Consumers”, which is also submitted to the Austrian Parliament .

International cooperation

• International Consumer Research & Testing (Great Britain)
• Stiftung Warentest (Germany)

Membership in international organizations and umbrella organizations

• Association de Normalization Européenne pour les Consommateurs (consumer institution in standardization)
• European consumer association (consumer interest group of the EU)
• Consumers International (global interest representation of consumers)
• TransAtlantic Consumer Dialogue (discussion forum for European and American consumer organizations)

media

The VKI publishes the magazine Konsument , some of which (for subscribers) is available as an online edition.

Web links

• Official website
• www.verbrauchrecht.at - website of the VKI with a focus on consumer law
• www.europakonsument.at - European consumer center of the VKI

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Registered in the Central Register of Associations (ZVR) under number: 389759993
2. ↑ Ex-VKI chief lawyer Kolba founds platform for class actions. In: diepresse.com. March 20, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
3. ↑ derStandard.at - ÖGB is no longer a member of the VKI . Article dated November 2, 2016, accessed November 2, 2016.
4. ^ NÖN: Social partners leave the VKI . Article dated March 23, 2014, accessed November 2, 2016.
5. ↑ Imprint - Actors, Responsibility, Rights , konsument.at, accessed on July 16, 2014
6. ↑ www.konsument.at : Financial situation ( Memento of the original from September 27, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.