Egypt - Egyptian Consumer Protection Agency's Celebration of World Consumer Rights' Day - 2010: Consumer Protection - A Step Ahead

On the occasion of the "World Consumer Rights Day", the Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) has organized on March 15, 2010 an awareness campaign entitled: "2010: Consumer Protection - A Step Ahead" to enhance the participation of different governmental organizations, non-governmental and media to raise the awareness for consumer rights and responsibilities within the CPA's strategies and activities.

The awareness campaign included three sessions:

First Session:

An exhibition of the Consumer Protection Agency, a number of the relevant governmental bodies responsible for market surveillance & standards and quality control, in addition to 14 consumer NGOs to present their activities and services, with an aim to enhance communication and coordination between the exhibitors and the consumers participating in the event.

Second Session:

A special media awareness workshop about the Egyptian consumer protection law and the role of the relevant agencies, especially the media in enhancing consumer/business awareness and in detecting any deceptive or fraudulent practices in the market.

Third Session:

A technical workshop entitled "Consumer protection and the concept of banking services". This was headed by a number of senior offcials from the Central Bank of Egypt, public and private banks to discuss the client (consumer) relationship with Egyptian banks in light of the findings of a study prepared by the Consumer Protection Association in Alexandria, with the support of the CPA, to asses the level of awareness between the client and his banks.

A number of recommendations was raised to be added within a joint action plan between the CPA, consumer NGOs, the central bank and Egyptian banks for implementation to address the lack of the Egyptian consumer (client) awareness towards banks' offers and services available in the Egyptian market and to create more effective and reliable communication and outreach channles with banks' clients for inquiries response and complaints submission.