The Armenian government has approved legislative amendments to the laws “On Consumer Rights Protection” and “On Advertising,” aimed at aligning national regulations with European Union standards.
According to Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan, the draft laws incorporate four EU directives related to:
- Unfair contract terms in consumer agreements,
- Consumer protection in remote or off-premises contracts,
- Misleading and comparative advertising,
- Remedies for non-conforming goods.
The reforms specifically define types of unfair contract terms, stating that if such a term is included in a contract, it will be rendered null and void.
“Once harmonized with the directive, consumers will be protected from unfair terms in adhesion contracts. Sellers and service providers won’t be able to include such clauses, and if they do, those terms will be invalid. Businesses will be required to eliminate any such provisions,” said Papoyan.
He also noted the introduction of comprehensive definitions for “misleading advertising” and “advertising containing comparisons,” which are now more clearly regulated under the amended laws.
Commenting on the reforms, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated: “This package brings our consumer protection regulations in line with those of the EU. We are adopting a European standard, which is the key takeaway here. It’s part of the implementation of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement.”
