Moldova to abolish the book of complaints and suggestions and to extend the period of repair or replacement of non-compliant goods.
This is stipulated by the new, IV package of legislative amendments related to the abolition of bureaucracy and simplification of business activity in Moldova, presented at a press conference on Thursday by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization Dumitru Alaiba. In particular, the ministry proposes to abolish the obligation for commercial enterprises to have a book of complaints and suggestions. Maintaining and registering a register of complaints involves unnecessary costs and bureaucracy, while any complaint filed with the company that violated consumer rights or with the State Inspectorate for Supervision of Non-Food Products and Consumer Protection have the same legal force as an entry in the book of complaints and suggestions. It is also proposed to extend from 14 to 30 days the period provided for in the legislation for repair or replacement by the seller of non-compliant goods. Today, sellers, even after acknowledging the defect of goods and agreeing to repair/replace them, often fail to do so within the 14-day deadline. At the same time, the consumer's right to return the goods within the first 6 months from the date of purchase will be abolished, regardless of the degree of non-compliance or the possibility of repair/replacement of the goods. The current norm is considered unfair to sellers, besides, it is absent in the regulatory framework of the European Union. According to the draft law, it is planned to expand the categories of authorized persons who conduct technical expertise on the conformity of goods and determine who is to blame for faults or defects - the consumer or the manufacturer. Some requirements on the number of rooms and the number of vacationers, which limit the activities of rural houses, will be canceled, and the range of products used to serve tourists will be adjusted. Today, owners of rural houses can offer tourists only products from their own production or from farms of the settlement/neighboring settlements. The draft law proposes to abolish the obligation of repeated/periodic training of heads of departments and employees in the field of labor protection. Today such training is conducted once in 3 years, it is proposed to make it a one-time training with lifetime validity. In addition, it will be abolished the validity period of travel vouchers, which are used by economic agents; it will be possible to obtain an electronic signature remotely - through video recording of the applicant, using remote identification services; the concept of "commodity exchange" will be modernized - through the ability to conduct electronic transactions, management of a large number of market types, as well as diversification of exchange contracts; it is planned to create conditions for the organization of free and distance learning courses in hygiene. According to Mr. Alaiba, the new bill will significantly reduce the time and financial costs of companies, stimulate investment and the development of an entrepreneurial environment free from bureaucracy and corruption. The bill initiated by the agency should be approved by the government and parliament. // 12.10.2023 – InfoMarket
