Internet and telephone-based shopping to be regarded as mail order subject to amended Consumer Protection Law

  The Legislative Yuan passed the Draft of Amendment to Consumer Protection Law after final reading on December 27, 2002 and first included the Internet consumers into the scope of protection subject to the Consumer Protection Law.  According to the Draft, clauses defined in format contracts will be applied broadly, whereby the scope will not only be limited to written advertisements any longer.  In other words, any consuming manners via captions, posts, signs, Internet or other means will be included into the scope of interpretation as defined in the clauses of contracts.  Meanwhile, a consuming dispute meditation system is also created to protect the interest and right of the concerned parties in consuming disputes over petty money.

 

  The Draft broadens the definition of “mail order” as the deal made by consumers with enterprises which conduct its sale business through broadcasting, television, telephone, facsimile machine, catalogue, newspaper, magazine, Internet, leaflet or in other similar manners so that consumers fail to inspect life commodities.

 

  In order to precisely define the liability for related products and services, the Draft also provides that enterprises engaged in designing, manufacturing and producing commodities or service business shall ensure that their commodities or services meet the safety which the instant technology or professionalism may reasonably expect when circulating the commodities into the market or providing the services.

 

Translated by Corrina Wu