Podgorica, (MINA-BUSINESS) – Negotiating Chapter 28 – Consumer and Health Protection addresses the protection of citizens’ economic interests, the safety of products and services, the exercise of consumer rights and the improvement of public health.

Its core objective is for Montenegro to establish a system in which consumers are better protected, the market is better regulated and health policy is aligned with European Union (EU) standards.

This means aligning legislation on consumer protection, product safety, consumer information, complaints, warranties and dispute resolution, while also improving systems for preventing and controlling communicable diseases, combating cancer and rare diseases, protecting mental health and managing serious threats to public health.

The aim of EU policy in this chapter is to ensure that citizens enjoy a high level of protection regardless of where they purchase goods and services, while improving quality of life through more effective public health protection.

EU regulations are intended to ensure that consumers receive accurate and complete information, that products on the market are safe and that effective mechanisms are in place to enforce consumer rights when irregularities occur.

At the same time, public health requires cooperation between institutions, disease prevention and the capacity to respond rapidly and in a coordinated manner to health risks.