In January 2024, with the financial support of the EU Delegation to the Republic of Moldova, a consortium consisting of the local think-tank Expert-Grup, IPRE, and FSM, launched a new project that envisages to consolidate the consumer protection framework in the Republic of Moldova. This project’s importance for the Republic of Moldova is highlighted by the fact that consumer protection is a key component of the association agenda and the European integration process.

The project is structured in such a way, as to address two fundamental causes affecting the whole consumer protection framework in the Republic of Moldova. On the one hand, poor regulation coupled with a weak and fragmented institutional framework creates a flawed consumer rights ecosystem. On the other hand, poor knowledge of consumer rights by media institutions and the general public further perpetuates distrust in the free-market instruments and heavily affects competition.

This Action will be structured based on two specific objectives (SOs):
SO1: Government of Moldova has increased its capacities to enforce consumer protection legislation approximated with the EU acquis
SO2: Consumers in Moldova increased their knowledge and capacities to promote their rights.

Finally, reaching the SO1 and SO2 will contribute to the overall objective of the Action: consumer rights are known and enforced in Moldova, because it will build the institutional and technical capacities of TG1 to enforce the consumer protection legislation and, at the same time, support the civil society and mass media (TG2 and TG3) to play a more active role in promoting consumer protection, literacy and awareness among the population (final beneficiaries). In this way, the Action will contribute to the overall objective through top-down measures under SO1, as well as bottom-up measures under SO2.

The SO1 will empower the relevant public institutions dealing with consumer protection (TG1) to process and manage consumer petitions and will enhance the overall institutional and legal framework for enforcing consumer protection legislation. As a result, the Action impact on TG1 will be enhanced trust of consumers in the Government on matters related to protection of consumer rights as a result of more timely and efficient response to consumer petitions.
The SO2 will increase the level of information, awareness and capacities of the civil society and mass-media (TG2 and TG3) related to consumer rights and consumer protection instruments and mechanisms. It will be possible through the information and awareness campaign, active engagement of media in this process and the creation of the European Consumer Center in Moldova.
So, the Action will aim at changing the attitude and behavior of consumers, which will have sustained effects after the project ends.