Conference “Empowered Consumer, Safe Consumer”

On the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day, the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Croatia, Directorate for Trade and Internal Market, organized the conference “Empowered Consumer, Safe Consumer”, which was held on 13 March 2026 in Split at the University Department of Professional Studies.

The conference programme included a presentation on consumer habits and practical challenges, as well as two panel discussions addressing current consumer protection topics – the implementation of price reductions in retail and the right to repair together with information on lack of conformity and commercial guarantees. A web application for monitoring prices in retail stores was also presented.

The event was co-organized by the National Contact Point (NCP) for Responsible Business Conduct, as consumer protection is one of the chapters of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct, which constitute a set of recommendations to enterprises on responsible business conduct. The Guidelines emphasize the responsibility of enterprises to provide consumers with clear and accurate information about their products and services and to avoid misleading or unfair commercial practices.

The National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct promotes the implementation of the OECD Guidelines and informs stakeholders about responsible business conduct standards. The Consumer Education and Information Centre (CEIP) is one of the three civil society representatives participating in the External body of the National Contact Point, highlighting the importance of consumer protection within the framework of responsible business conduct.