Press release

No.:  06045
Date:  10 July 2006 is

 

Marketing and business transaction techniques have evolved greatly in recent decades, and are increasingly international in character. That is the background for a proposed new marketing law for which the Ministry of Children and Equality began seeking comments today.

 

One element of the proposed new law would help protect children and youths against expanded marketing efforts, which today span many media. "It is important to prevent disreputable actors from achieving short-term profits through illegal marketing," says Minister of Children and Equality Karita Bekkemellem, whose ministerial responsibilities include consumer affairs.

Some provisions of the proposed legislation are based on a European Union directive for countries of the European Economic Area. The provisions will improve the predictability and security of framework conditions in which businesses and consumers relate.

Also proposed are:

• new ways to tighten regulations on telemarketing
• a right to decline all forms of free newspapers
• a right to decline door-to-door sales
• strengthening the Consumer Affairs Ombud’s authority to stop illegal marketing – through, for example, the imposition of fines for clear violations

 

The deadline for commenting is 1 Nov. 2006.

The draft legislation can be read in Norwegian at www.bld.dep.no under “saker på høring”.