Supervisory duties of the Consumer Ombudsman
The Consumer Ombudsman supervises compliance with several laws and regulations that protect the consumer. The Consumer Ombudsman also cooperates with various authorities both nationally and internationally.
The Consumer Ombudsman has supervisory duties based on several laws. However, the fundamental basis of the Consumer Ombudsman’s supervisory activities lies in its power of general competence as the authority overseeing compliance with the Consumer Protection Act. This supervisory power also covers transactions between consumers and traders which are subject to a separate provision on supervision by the Consumer Ombudsman under special legislation.
The Consumer Ombudsman has parallel supervisory powers with some special supervisory authorities. The legislation also contains specific obligations for cooperation between authorities.
Below are examples of statutes and decrees whose compliance is supervised by the Consumer Ombudsman.
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NB: All pages linked below are in Finnish and open in a new browser window.
- Consumer Protection Act (Chapter 2, section 20; Chapter 3, section 4; Chapter 7, section 51; and Chapter 7a, section 33)
- Debt Collection Act (section 21)
- Act on Guaranties and Third-Party Pledges (sections 39 and 41)
- Electricity Market Act (section 106)
- Information Society Code (section 306)
- Water Services Act (section 4)
- Housing Transactions Act (Chapter 2, section 19; and Government Resolution HE 21/2005 vp p.15)
- Act on the Provision of Services (Section 19)
- Natural Gas Market Act (section 88)
- Act on Payment Services (section 83)
- Crowdfunding Act (section 13)
- Act on Transport Services (section 186)
- Act on the Financial Supervisory Authority (section 46)
- Act on Verification and Notification of Origin of Electricity (section 12)
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The Consumer Ombudsman’s powers on the supervision of marketing activities also cover the following decrees and provisions:
- Government Decree on unfair procedure on customers in marketing and customer relationships
- Decree on communicating the price of consumer goods in marketing
- Decree on communicating the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of cars
- Decree on information to be provided in the marketing of housing.
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NB: All pages linked below are in Finnish and open in a new browser window.
- Act on the Financial Supervisory Authority (section 46)
- Act on Credit Institutions (Chapter 15, section 2)
- Act on the Provision of Insurance (section 34)
- Act on Investment Services (Chapter 1, section 27)
- Act on Alternative Investment Funds Managers (Chapter 21, section 1)
- Postal Act (section 67)
- Information Society Code (section 308)
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- Act on Real Estate Brokerage and Letting Agencies (section 4)
- Act on Cosmetic Products (section 2)
- Advocates Act (section 5)
- Act on Payment Institutions (section 32)
- Licensed Legal Counsel Act (section 8)
- Act on Authorised Industrial Property Attorneys (section 8)
- Non-discrimination Act (section 3)
- Act on Virtual Currency Providers (section 12)
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The Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Regulation took effect on 17 January 2020. The regulation provides consumer authorities with new means of cooperation that improve consumer protection and the position of consumers throughout the Union.
The updated regulation enables broader and enhanced cooperation between national authorities in different Member States to jointly address cross-border breaches of EU consumer rules. The aim is to improve consumer confidence and the conditions of competition for legitimate businesses.
The Consumer Ombudsman’s power of general competence encompasses the supervision of most of the statutes referred to in the Cooperation Regulation.
Statutes subject to the exclusive supervision of the Consumer Ombudsman
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Directive/Regulation Competent authority in Finland Directive 2006/114/EC concerning misleading and comparative advertising The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman Directive 2008/122/EC on the protection of consumers in respect of certain aspects of timeshare, long-term holiday product, resale and exchange contracts The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman Directive 2011/83/EU on consumer rights The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman Article 13 of the ADR Directive (2013/11/EU) The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman Article 14 of the ODR Regulation (EU No. 524/2013) The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman Directive (EU) 2015/2302 on package travel and linked travel arrangements
The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman Geo-blocking Regulation (EU) 2018/302 The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman Other statutes listed in the Cooperation Regulation that are supervised by the Consumer Ombudsman and other national authorities
NB: All pages linked below open in a new browser window.
Directive/Regulation Competent authorities in Finland Articles 9–11 and 19–26 of Directive 2010/13/EU (audiovisual media services) - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Finnish Transport and Communications Agency
- Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea
- National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health Valvira
Directive 2005/29/EC on unfair commercial practices - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Financial Supervisory Authority (Fiva)
- Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea
- National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health Valvira
Consumer Credit Directive 2008/48/EC - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Financial Supervisory Authority (Fiva)
- Regional State Administrative Agencies
Articles 86–90 and 97–100 of Directive 2001/83/EC (medicinal products for human use) - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea
Air Passenger Rights Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004 - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Finnish Transport and Communications Agency
Article 13 of the ePrivacy Directive (2002/58/EC) - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Data Protection Ombudsman
Mortgage Credit Directive (2014/17/EC) - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Financial Supervisory Authority (Fiva)
- Regional State Administrative Agencies
Payment Accounts Directive (2014/92/EU) - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Financial Supervisory Authority (Fiva)
Directive 2002/65/EC on distance marketing of consumer financial services - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Financial Supervisory Authority (Fiva)
Directive 93/13/EEC on unfair terms in consumer contracts - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Financial Supervisory Authority (Fiva)
Directive 98/6/EC on consumer protection in the indication of the prices of products offered to consumers - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Regional State Administrative Agencies
Regulation (EC) No. 1371/2007 on rail passengers' rights and obligations - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Finnish Transport and Communications Agency
Regulation (EC) No. 1177/2010 concerning the rights of passengers when travelling by sea and inland waterway - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Finnish Transport and Communications Agency
Electronic Commerce Directive 2000/31/EC - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Data Protection Ombudsman
- Finnish Transport and Communications Agency
Monitoring of specific cases
NB: All pages linked below open in a new browser window.
Directive/Regulation Competent authorities in Finland Articles 9–11 and 19–26 of Directive 2010/13/EU (audiovisual media services) - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Finnish Transport and Communications Agency
- Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea
- National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health Valvira
Directive 2005/29/EC on unfair commercial practices - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Financial Supervisory Authority (Fiva)
- Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea
- National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health Valvira
Consumer Credit Directive 2008/48/EC - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Financial Supervisory Authority (Fiva)
- Regional State Administrative Agencies
Articles 86–90 and 97–100 of Directive 2001/83/EC (medicinal products for human use) - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea
Air Passenger Rights Regulation (EC) No. 261/2004 - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Finnish Transport and Communications Agency
Article 13 of the ePrivacy Directive (2002/58/EC) - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Data Protection Ombudsman
Mortgage Credit Directive (2014/17/EC) - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Financial Supervisory Authority (Fiva)
- Regional State Administrative Agencies
Payment Accounts Directive (2014/92/EU) - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Financial Supervisory Authority (Fiva)
Directive 2002/65/EC on distance marketing of consumer financial services - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Financial Supervisory Authority (Fiva)
Directive 93/13/EEC on unfair terms in consumer contracts - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Financial Supervisory Authority (Fiva)
Directive 98/6/EC on consumer protection in the indication of the prices of products offered to consumers - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Regional State Administrative Agencies
Regulation (EC) No. 1371/2007 on rail passengers' rights and obligations - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Finnish Transport and Communications Agency
Regulation (EC) No. 1177/2010 concerning the rights of passengers when travelling by sea and inland waterway - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Finnish Transport and Communications Agency
Electronic Commerce Directive 2000/31/EC - The FFCA / Consumer Ombudsman
- Data Protection Ombudsman
- Finnish Transport and Communications Agency