Dangerous/hazardous/unsafe goods
The provisions laid down in Sect. 28 through Sect. 73 deal with various aspects of the consumer dispute redress system. The new Act has changed the District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum terminology to the District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission. The pecuniary jurisdiction of filling complaints in the three-tier consumer courts at the District, State and National level has increased (Table (Table5). 5 ). For better understanding, Fig. 6 shows a diagrammatic picture of the judicial system of dispute settlement.
Grievance redress mechanism
The Act, 2019 provides a dispute settlement mechanism through the mediation process in case of compromise at the acceptance point of the complaint or some future date on mutual consent (Sec 37). A mediation cell would operate in each city, state, national commission, and regional bench to expedite redress. Section 74 through 81 of the Act lays down the detailed procedure. Section 81(1) maintains that no appeal lies against the order passed by Mediation, implying that the redress process at the initial stage would be speedy, impacting both the consumers and service providers.
The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, notified under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 on 23 July 2020, aims to prevent unfair trade practices and protect consumers' interests and rights in e-commerce.
The Rules apply to:
The duties of e-commerce entities are:
The liabilities of marketplace e-commerce entities include the following:
The duties of sellers on the market encompass:
As in the inventory-based model, inventory of goods and services is owned and sold directly to consumers by e-commerce entities, so inventory e-commerce entities have the same liabilities as marketplace e-commerce entities and the same duties as marketplace sellers.
The Act 2019 has several provisions for regulating e-commerce transactions with safety and trust. Since the Act is new, it would be premature to comment on its operational aspects and effectiveness. In a recent judgement in Consumer Complaint No 883 of 2020 ( M/s Pyaridevi Chabiraj Steels Pvt. Ltd vs National Insurance Company Ltd , the NCDRC 21 has proved the Act's operational effectiveness by deciding the maintainability of a claim's jurisdiction based on the new Act's provisions. However, it is inevitable that "beware buyer" will be replaced by "beware seller/manufacturer"; the consumer will be the real king. The Rules 2020 strike a balance between the responsibilities of e-commerce business owners and on-the-platform vendors. Contravention, if any, of the new regulation/rules would invite the provisions of the Act 2019. The observation is that limited liability partnerships are missing from the e-commerce entities. However, with the Act and Rules' operational experience, the judiciary or legislature will address this issue sooner or later.
Nevertheless, the Rules 2020 provide a robust legal framework to build consumers' trust in e-commerce transactions and protect their rights and interests, thereby proving the notion, "consumer is the king". The COVID-19 impact has pushed the government to adopt and encourage online compliant filling procedures through the National Consumer Helpline. Using various APPs is likely to expedite the adjudication process and benefit the aggrieved consumer and build trust in the governance system.
Reading the Rules, 2020, with the Act, 2019, the observation is that by making smartphones the primary target of the new legislation, the Act, 2019 is hailed as an all-inclusive regulatory regime that would raise customer interest investment in e-commerce. To safeguard consumers' rights in all modern-day retail commerce models, the Act, 2019 attempts to turn the jurisprudence pervading consumer protectionism from a caveat emptor to a caveat seller. In addition, the Act formally incorporated e-commerce within its limits and entered the realm of B2C e-commerce. One crucial takeaway benefit for consumers is simplifying the complaint filing process, enabling consumers to file complaints online and redress grievances.
E-commerce has become a gift to all customers in the COVID-19 pandemic's aftermath. The E-Commerce Rules, 2020 follow the stringent consumer protection regime under the new Act, 2019. In the raging pandemic, the timing of the E-Commerce Rules, 2020 is beneficial considering the current limitations on customers' freedom of travel and increased reliance on e-commerce. The grievances redress mechanism as provided in the Rules, 2020 is indubitably a calibrated step ensuring neutrality in the e-commerce market place, greater transparency, stringent penalties and a striking balance between the commitments of e-commerce firms and vendors in the marketplace. The mandatory provisions of appointing a consumer grievance redress officer and a nodal contact person or an alternative senior appointed official (resident in India) with contact details, acknowledging consumer complaints within 48 h of receipt with a ticket number, and resolving complaints within 1 month of receipt are unquestionably beneficial to consumers. Although each e-commerce company has its refund policy, all refund claims must have a timely settlement. However, anxiety abounds as daily online fraud and unethical trading practices have made consumers fearful of exposing themselves to unscrupulous vendors and service providers. Moreover, the regulations' effective enforcement would dissuade unethical retailers and service providers, thereby building consumer trust, which time will see.
The practical contributions of the paper emerge from survey findings. Concerning the primary survey, the male–female ratio is nearly 1:1, with an average age of 36 years in the age range of 20–65. As regards profession, 67% were working professionals, and 22% were students. While all of the respondents were computer/tablet/mobile-savvy, 96% had at least a five-time online shopping experience during the last 7 months between January–July 2020. The desktop with 61% response is still the preferred device for online shopping. The pricing with cash on delivery, shipping convenience, and quality reviews determined online shopping factors. About 57% of them agreed that COVID-19 impacted their online purchase habits and pushed for online transactions even though they feared insecurity about online shopping. The primary concerns were low-quality products at a high price, a refund for defective products, and a delay in settlement of wrong/excess payments. The top five leading e-commerce platforms reported were Amazon, Flipkart, Alibaba, Myntra, and IndiaMart. Netmeds was also a leading e-commerce business platform in the pharmaceutical sector. During the COVID-19 pandemic, JioMart was very popular for home-delivery food products, groceries and vegetables in the metro locality. The customer feedback system was found robust on Amazon.
The respondents' trust in online shopping reveals that a secure and reliable system was essential for 93% of the respondents. For nearly the same proportion, information about how e-business firms work provided security solutions was a priority factor. Choosing a payment option, 76% of the respondents prioritised “cash on delivery-online transfer at the doorstep. Regarding the privacy of personal information shared by online shoppers, 52% said that they cared about this aspect. Factors like warranty and guarantee (67%) and customer service (69%) were important factors of trust-building with the e-entities. Information on the websites (easy navigation/user friendly and reviews) was either important or very important, with 77% of the respondents’ confidence building to buy online. Information about the product features and its manufacturer/supplier was essential to 86% of the respondents for trust-building on the product and the supplier (manufacture) and e-commerce entity. Along with the ABI model discussed above, the presumption is that security, privacy, warranty/guarantee, customer service, and website information factors positively influence e-commerce customers' trust.
Multiple regression analysis suggests that as the P = value of every independent variable is below 0.05% level of significance, the independent variables security, privacy, warranty, customer service, and website information are all significant. Alternatively, the overall P value of 0.032 with R 2 0.82 supports the presumption that security, privacy, warranty/guarantee, customer service, website information factors have a combined influence on e-commerce customers' trust.
Given this backdrop, Table Table6 6 summarises the micro findings on respondents' online shopping behaviour, their trust and safety aspects, and understanding of the provisions of the new Act, 2019 and Rules, 2020. The higher mean value for a sub-factor implies higher importance attached to the factor by the respondents. P value at a 5% level of significance explains an individual element's contribution to trust-building behaviour for online buying.
Statistical analysis of online shopping trust factors ( N = 290)
Factors/Sub-factors | Monthly | 2 times pm | > 2 times pm | value (5% level) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Security | ||||
Secure and reliable payment systems; Information about how security solutions work; Possibility to choose payment method (cash on delivery, debit/credit card) | 4.95 | 4.91 | 4.90 | |
Privacy | ||||
How the personal information that you fill in, when ordering, are handled; Policy for the handling of personal information, on a visible place on the company’s homepage | 4.92 | 4.91 | .83 | |
Warranty/Guarantee | ||||
Standard terms in connection to order form (terms for returns, refunds etc.); Coordination on the order and purchase/tracking | 4.92 | 4.91 | 4.83 | |
Customer service/grievance redress | ||||
Possibility to be able to ask questions and get help directly, online/chatboot or mobile; Feedback/evaluation/experience rating | 4.89 | 4.93 | 4.83 | |
Website& Information | ||||
Design& functionality-how website looks, user friendly, easy navigation; Information about company& product details; About reviews | 3.56 | 3.68 | 3.59 | |
Act and Rules | ||||
Understanding of the new Act, 2019 | 3.21 | 3.42 | 3.88 | – |
Understanding of the Rules, 2020 | 3.14 | 3.29 | 3.01 | |
(290/%) |
|
The first observation from the data analysis is that, comparatively, the younger generation is prone to online shopping; it goes along with Xiaodong and Min ( 2020 ). Secondly, the respondents of all age groups have online buying experience even in a pandemic situation forced by COVID-19, compromising their safety and security concerns. The third observation is that factors like “cash on the delivery option (COD)”, adequate information on the e-commerce entity corporate website, and effective grievance/complaint redress mechanism are the three crucial factors that build consumers’ trust in e-commerce transactions. The reason probably is that this Act and Rules are new and significant dispute (s) could yet be reported seeking invoking the relevant provisions of the Act and Rules in an appropriate legal forum.
Further, the logical observation of the COD option being a perceived influential factor in trust-building emanates from the fact that protection and security are the essential elements that make customers hesitant toward utilizing other e-payment options. The studies by Mekovec and Hutinski ( 2012 ), Maqableh ( 2015 ) and Ponte et al.( 2015 ); have similar views. However, post-demonetization (2016), India is growing with more digital payments. In this context, we value Harvard researchers Bandi et al. ( 2017 ) contention that customers who switch to digital payments maintain their purchasing recurrence but spend more and are less likely to restore their purchases. The firms in emerging markets may appreciate gains from customer interest, notwithstanding operational increases from payment digitalization. The coherent perception about the impact of website information on trust-building is in line with the findings of Brian et al. ( 2019 ) that the online information source creates a spill-over effect on satisfaction and trust toward the retailer. The implication of the need for an effective grievance redress mechanism is that trust-building would be a tricky proposition if the company cannot ensure dedicated and tailored customer service and support. Kamari and Kamari ( 2012 ) and Mangiaracina and Perego ( 2009 ) had comparative perspectives likewise.
The final observation is that the level of trust required to engage in online shopping/transaction varies among the respondents depending on their trust perception level. The younger generation, less than 35 years old, is more risk-taking when it comes to pre-purchase online payment, but women over 45 years old are a little hesitant and prefer to do their online shopping with payment at the time of placing an order. This is ostensibly because the younger generation is more tuned to network connectivity via smartphone/tablet, and they perceive online transactions as less dangerous. The present research findings on the influence of security, privacy, warranty/guarantee, customer service, and website information on e-commerce customers' confidence-building support the earlier discussed ABI model proposition (Mayer et al., 1995 ; Cazier, 2007 ; Helge et al., 2020 ). The R 2 -value of 0.82 implies that there are other factors beyond what is studied. The other probable factor (s) that might have influenced trust is the new Act and Rules' effectiveness in protecting online consumers' interests. The new regulations need a couple of years (at least 2 years) of operational experience for proper assessment. The Act 2019 appears robust to protect consumer rights and interests of e-commerce customers with specific regulations (i.e. Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020) in force, helping the country's economic growth.
The study variably supports Nehf ( 2007 ) view that consumers make decisions about distributing their data in exchange for different benefits like, e.g., information on web sites and access to databases. Trust, credibility, privacy issues, security concerns, the nature of the information on the website, and the e-commerce firm's reputation directly influence consumers' internet trust (Kim et al., 2008 ). Trust is the focal point of online consumers' decision-making; the observation endorses Larose and Rifon ( 2007 ) creation of privacy alerts as part of consumer privacy self-regulation initiatives and the use of a social cognitive model to consider consumer privacy behaviours. Besides, data privacy and trust breaches adversely affect the firm's market value (Tripathi & Mukhopadhyay, 2020 ) also hold good in the present context. Figure 7 demonstrates a diagrammatic model of trust of the consumer on e-commerce transactions leading to his decision-making.
Model for consumers’ trust on e-commerce transactions
Every research has more or less some limitations; this one has too. The main impediment was the non-availability of adequate literature defining the impact assessment of the legal framework of consumer protection measures in e-commerce. The probable reasoning is that the Acts/Laws governing e-commerce and online consumer rights protection under consideration are new; ethical dispute resolution and judicial interventions have only recently begun. Sample size limitation is also a hindering factor in the generalisation of the findings. The observations and managerial insights are likely to change with a few more years of implementation experience of the Acts.
Conclusions.
Lack of trust in goods and their suppliers/manufacturers was one of the primary reasons for people not buying online. The widespread internet penetration and the growing use of computer/tablets/smartphones have pushed e-commerce growth across countries, including India. The rapid e-commerce development has brought about new distribution methods. It has provided new opportunities for consumers, forcing consumers vulnerable to new forms of unfair trade and unethical business. Further, the government's measures to protect consumer rights, particularly online consumers, are inadequate. Hence, the government enacted the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and the Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020 and made them effective from July 2020. The new Act and Rules have less than 6 months of operational experience, implying premature comment on its effectiveness in providing safety and security to online consumers. However, online consumers' positive responses suggest that people gain confidence in online shopping with safety and security. Because consumer rights protection is paramount in the growth of e-commerce, the new regulations strengthen the grievance redress mechanism of online consumers, ensuring their trust-building ability, safety, and security. The "Consumer is the King with power" now. The new reform, i.e., enactment of the two laws, aids in doing business too. Some legal complications may arise with more operational experience in the future. Still, with judiciary intervention and directives, the online consumer's safety and security will pave the growth of e-commerce in India.
Some stakeholders have apprehension about the new Act and Rules' effectiveness because of the slow judiciary process, inadequate infrastructure support, and corrupt practices. The findings provide some practical implications for consumer activists, policymakers, and research communities to explore how to strengthen trust-building among online consumers. Regarding theoretical implications, the research improves the scientific community's understanding of the existing body of knowledge about online trust and e-consumer protection. The article further contributes to the body of literature on e-commerce and consumer protection, understanding the crucial factors impacting customer trust and loyalty and provides an insightful perspective on e-consumer protection in the Indian context on the eve of the new legislation enacted in 2019–2020.
Given the presumption that e-commerce and trust are areas of constant change, trust in e-commerce will change, and it will be more challenging to integrate e-commerce into people's lives. The scope for further research to test the effectiveness of the Act, 2019, and Rule, 2020 in redressing e-commerce consumers' grievances and protecting their rights is wider only after a couple of years of operational experience. The government's policy drive for accelerating online transactions also poses challenges considering the importance of trust-building and consumer rights protection in e-commerce. Future research would shed more light on these issues.
The authors express their appreciation to the section editor and two anonymous reviewers for providing insightful comments and constructive suggestions to improve the paper's quality.
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.
1 See The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) guidelines on e-commerce https://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/stats/groups/wggna/GuideByChapters/Chapter_13.pdf , pp 249–263, Accessed 7 October 2020.
2 Consumer International is a champion in the sustainable consumer movement for the last 60 years. Its vision for the future of 2030 is to address three issues-sustainability, digitalization and inclusion. See for more details https://www.consumersinternational.org/who-we-are/ .
3 econsumer.gov came into being in April 2001, addresses international scams and guides its members to combat fraud worldwide; see for details https://econsumer.gov/#crnt .
4 For more details, refer to https://icpen.org/consumer-protection-around-world .
5 For a detailed report, see https://www.worldretailcongress.com/__media/Global_ecommerce_Market_Ranking_2019_001.pdf , Accessed 10 October 2020.
6 Complete report available at https://business.adobe.com/resources/digital-economy-index.html , Accessed 10 October 2020.
7 https://www.ibef.org/news/vision-of-a-new-india-US$-5-trillion-economy , Accessed 7 October 2020.
8 Government of India’s press release, see https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1603982 , Accessed 7 October 2020.
9 See CUTS International survey at https://cuts-citee.org/pdf/Discussion_Paper_E-Commerce_in_the_Context_of_Trade_Consumer_Protection_and_Competition_in_India.pdf , CSA Research at https://insights.csa-research.com/reportaction/305013126/Marketing , https://insights.csa-research.com/reportaction/305013125/Marketing , and UNTAD study at https://unctad.org/page/data-protection-and-privacy-legislation-worldwide , Accessed 12 December 2020.
10 https://innovationtactics.com/business-model-canvas-airbnb/ , Accessed 12 December 2020.
11 Detailed findings at https://insights.csa-research.com/reportaction/305013125/Marketing , Accessed 19 October 2020.
12 Amazon India began testing a Hindi for its mobile website, marking its first foray into vernacular languages in August 2018.
13 Flipkart started voice assist in multiple languages - Hindi and English to make shopping easier in June 2020 .
14 See cross-border shopping statistics and trends at https://www.invespcro.com/blog/cross-border-shopping/ , Accessed 15 October 2020.
15 https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/consumer-markets/consumer-insights-survey/2020/pwc-consumer-insights-survey-2020.pdf , Accessed 15 October 2020.
16 For global trend-access, explore, and personalized insights, see details at https://www.forrester.com/data/forecastview/reports# , Accessed 15 October 2020.
17 For defined common issues, see Government’s e-gazette at http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/220661.pdf , Accessed 15 October 2020.
18 https://consumeraffairs.nic.in/sites/default/files/Act%20into%20force.pdf , Accessed 30 October 2020.
19 See Government’s e-gazette notification http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2019/210422.pdf , Accessed 30 October 2020.
20 Government of India’s press release see https://pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1656161 and for detailed Rules see https://consumeraffairs.nic.in/theconsumerprotection/consumer-protection-e-commerce-rules-2020 .
21 Full reported case details are available at https://indiankanoon.org/doc/49459460/ , Accessed November 22, 2020.
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In this post, we bring to you a recap of important Consumer Protection cases of Year 2021
In this case, the Appellant, The Bombay Dyeing and Manufacturing Company Ltd was the builder-promoter whereas Mr. Ashok Narang and others were the allotees/buyers of the flats. It was agreed by the Parties that the possession would be delivered by 2017 at a 20:80 scheme consideration (20% initially and 80% at the time of delivery), in which the Respondents had already made payment of 20% in 2012-13 inclusive of tax and premium. The appellants failed to deliver the flats for possession on the stipulated time and extended it by 2 years. Thus, the Respondents filed a complaint u/s 31 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (“2016 Act”) before the Authority citing breach u/s 12 read with S. 18 of the 2016 Act seeking cancellation of the allotment and also a refund of the amount they had paid. The Authority did not pass any order regarding the refund stating that S. 12 did not apply retrospectively, and also that the cancellation should be done as per the allotment agreement. Further when appealed before the Appellate authority, it found that S. 12 of the 2016 Act had a retroactive operation and directed the respondent to refund with due interest and also ordered cancellation of the allotments. Consequently, the Appellants approached the Bombay High Court wherein the Appellant-counsel submitted that the provisions of the 2016 Act were prospective in operation and that the written agreement for sale was also absent due to which no liabilities could be imposed upon it as u/s 18. To this, the Respondent-counsel contended that the application of the 2016 Act to an ongoing project itself indicated that the provisions were quasi-retroactive in nature. Also, regarding the absence of a written agreement, it was argued that the Appellant could not be permitted to raise a new contention for the first time in the second appeal, thus it had waived the right to raise any such claims and that could not be allowed to approbate and then reprobate later on. The Court pointed out that no one should be made to wait indefinitely for delivery of possession and thereby held that there was a deficiency of service and disposed of the appeals with no order as to costs.
Citation : The Bombay Dyeing and … vs Ashok Narang and Anr., Decided by Bombay High Court on 30th August, 2021, available at : The Bombay Dyeing and … vs Ashok Narang and Anr , visited on 9th September 2021.
Mr. Punit Jain, the Complainant, filed a consumer complaint against Ireo Grace Realtech Pvt. Ltd. for making him sign a one-sided agreement concerning the sale of a 1483.28 sq. ft. apartment at 9200/ – per sq. ft. instead of the previously agreed rate of 8750/ – per sq. ft on 16.03.2013. The company also agreed to make the apartment available to the Complainant within 42 months of execution of the agreement 03.04.2014. The Agreement also mentioned a 180 days’ grace period. The Complainant made full payment of the agreed amount of 1,55,17,716/ – Rupees before filing the present complaint against the builder when it failed to complete the construction within the stipulated time period. The Counsel for the builder contended that the Complainant would not be considered as a ‘Consumer’ under Section 2(1)(d) of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 as he had bought the apartment for a commercial purpose and had also made a similar booking in another project by the builder. It was also argued that there was an arbitration clause in the agreement signed by the complainant. The builder’s counsel further contended that the Complainant was bound by the terms of the agreement on the Basic Sale Price. The Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum held that the present agreement was a one-sided agreement and was an unfair contract. It was stated that the Developer could not compel the apartment buyers to be bound by the one-sided contractual terms contained in the Buyer’s Agreement. The court also directed the builder to pay interest @ 9% S.I. per annum from 27.11.2018 till the date of payment of the entire amount. The court also directed interest @ 12% S.I. p.a. should be paid in case of a default.
Citation: Punit Jain vs M/S. Ireo Grace Realtech Pvt. Ltd., Decided by The Consumer Disputes Redressal on 31st August, 2021, available at: Punit Jain vs M/S. Ireo Grace Realtech Pvt. Ltd. , visited on 9th September, 2021.
The Appellant, Khatema Fibres Ltd., took out a “Standard Fire and Social Perils” insurance policy from Respondent-Insurance Company New Assurance Co. Ltd. for a sum of approx. 42 crores from 7/5/2007 to 6/5/2008, but a fire broke out on its factory premises on 15/11/2007. The firm, M/s Adarsh Associates, appointed by the Respondent ascertained the value of loss as approx. 2 crores upon their investigation. The Appellants felt the assessment of was loss was approx. 13 crores, but the Insurance Company stated that it could give a maximum claim only up to the amount quoted by the firm. The Appellant filed a consumer complaint under Section 21 (a)(i) of the CPA, 1986 before the NCDRC seeking various types of compensation from the insurance company, for loss caused due to fire, financial stress, legal fees, and so on. The Commission allowed payment to the Appellant for 2 crores, which was original amount assessed by Respondents. The present case was an appeal under Section 23, where the Appellant contended that the net weight of the damaged material was not correct. The Respondents made the counter-argument that the surveyor was an expert at his field and did the assessment in a scientific manner. The Supreme Court observed that there were many discrepancies found by the surveyor with respect to documents submitted, wherein one document showed a certain amount of waste paper stock, and the other showed a huge increase in the stock. The Court agreed with the National Commission’s finding that the Appellant was not able to establish deficiency in service under Section 2(1)(g). Thus, the Court upheld the previous judgement because there was no arbitrariness or unjustness exercised by the Commission in granting claim to the extent of 2 crores.
Citation: Khatema Fibres Ltd. vs New India Assurance Company Ltd. & Anr., Decided by The Supreme Court on 28th September, 2021, available at: Khatema Fibres Ltd. v. New India Assurance Co. Ltd. (2021) /, last visited on 4th October, 2021.
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How the EU determines if a non-EU country has an adequate level of data protection.
The European Commission has the power to determine, on the basis of article 45 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 whether a country outside the EU offers an adequate level of data protection.
The adoption of an adequacy decision involves:
At any time, the European Parliament and the Council may request the European Commission to maintain, amend or withdraw the adequacy decision on the grounds that its act exceeds the implementing powers provided for in the regulation.
The effect of such a decision is that personal data can flow from the EU (and Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland) to that third country without any further safeguard being necessary. In others words, transfers to the country in question will be assimilated to intra-EU transmissions of data.
The European Commission has so far recognised Andorra , Argentina , Canada (commercial organisations), Faroe Islands , Guernsey , Israel , Isle of Man , Japan , Jersey , New Zealand , Republic of Korea , Switzerland , the United Kingdom under the GDPR and the LED , the United States (commercial organisations participating in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework) and Uruguay as providing adequate protection.
With the exception of the United Kingdom, these adequacy decisions do not cover data exchanges in the law enforcement sector which are governed by the Law Enforcement Directive (Article 36 of Directive (EU) 2016/680 ).
The Commission is required to periodically review the adequacy decisions adopted under the GDPR and its predecessor, Directive 95/46/EC, and to report its findings to the European Parliament and the Council. In line with this obligation, the Commission published its Report on the first periodic review of the adequacy decision for Japan on 4 April 2023. On 15 January 2024 the Commission published its Report on the first review of the functioning of the eleven adequacy decisions adopted pursuant to Directive 95/46/EC .
On 4 March 2024, the Commission hosted the first ever high-level meeting on safe data flows, gathering responsible Ministers and heads of the data protection authorities of 15 countries and territories for which the EU has adopted an adequacy decision as well as the Chair of the European Data Protection Board. Participants discussed ways to leverage this network of like-minded partners to maximise the benefits of safe and free data flows and explored avenues for closer cooperation on enforcement of data protection rules.
Press release - 19 February 2021
Press release - 5 September 2018
Press Statement - 20 November 2017
Joint Declaration - 6 July 2017
Joint Statement - 4 July 2017
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Learn what EPA is doing to address PFAS.
PFAS are a group of manufactured chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s because of their useful properties. There are thousands of different PFAS, some of which have been more widely used and studied than others.
Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), for example, are two of the most widely used and studied chemicals in the PFAS group. PFOA and PFOS have been replaced in the United States with other PFAS in recent years.
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Current research has shown that people can be exposed to PFAS by:
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Current peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown that exposure to certain levels of PFAS may lead to:
Scientists at EPA, in other federal agencies, and in academia and industry are continuing to conduct and review the growing body of research about PFAS. However, health effects associated with exposure to PFAS are difficult to specify for many reasons, such as:
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Under federal environmental laws, EPA and other federal agencies are authorized to help put those laws into effect by creating and enforcing regulations.
Regulations are mandatory requirements that can apply to individuals, businesses, state or local governments, non-profits, and others.
Federal agencies are required to provide an opportunity for public comment when proposing a new regulation and must consider the comments in revising the proposal and issuing a final rule. In carrying out our mission to protect human health and the environment, EPA develops regulations to prevent or to clean up hazardous chemicals released into our air, land, and water, some of which relate to PFAS.
Commenting on a proposed regulation is an important opportunity to make your voice heard. It is a way for you to provide decisionmakers with key information on any or all aspects of the proposed action, including:
EPA’s regulations will always be announced in the Federal Register and can be found at the following government websites: https://www.federalregister.gov/ , and https://www.regulations.gov/ .
For some rules, EPA holds a public hearing where you can provide comments in person or remotely. The agency always accepts comments in writing. All comments – whether in person or written – get the same level of consideration. Below are additional resources to help you comment on EPA’s proposed regulations related to PFAS.
Demonstrate your expertise in enterprise infrastructure, assurance, security, and more. Configure, troubleshoot, and manage the networks of the largest companies in the world with the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Enterprise certification.
Earning a CCNP Enterprise certification demonstrates your ability to scale and maintain enterprise networks to meet growing demands. Showcase your expertise in enterprise infrastructure, virtualization, assurance, security, and automation to influential employers.
Understand Cisco's solutions for managing networks, including configuring the quality of service settings, and switching between hardware and software.
Demonstrate your understanding of virtualization software, virtual machines, and virtual switches. Showcase your ability to divide and manage data paths and create virtual networks.
Set up and troubleshoot communication protocols. Set up wireless networks and configure features like network time protocol and Network Address Translation/Port Address Translation (NAT/PAT).
Be able to diagnose and fix network problems. Configure and verify various networking features for optimal performance.
How it works, no formal prerequisites.
Learners often have three to five years of experience implementing enterprise network solutions.
Professional-level certifications expand on the foundations of associate-level certifications. They cover more advanced topics and allow candidates to hone in on a specific focus area of their choice. Many professional-level certification candidates are looking to prove they’re the best of the best in a specialized field.
To earn this certification, you'll need to pass two exams:
You'll have access to many resources — from guided learning to self-study and a community forum — that are designed to help you pass your exams.
Your CCNP Enterprise certification proves you can work with complex IT infrastructures - and that opens doors at some of the world’s largest companies.
Network automation engineer.
Use programming and automation tools to streamline network operations.
Be the expert behind any project that optimizes systems for an organization.
Resolve connectivity issues, troubleshoot devices, and ensure networks are operating smoothly.
Certifications give olivia credibility with employers.
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CCNA, CCNP Enterprise, DevNet Associate
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Your certification is valid for three years. You can renew with Continuing Education credits or retake exams before they expire.
Watch our expert’s guidance and advice on planning your path towards your CCNP Enterprise certification success.
Get a quick primer on the CCNP Enterprise certification and exams.
Learn why we created the CCNP certifications, and find out how you can use them to plan, support, and grow your career.
Stay up to date.
Get the latest news about Cisco certifications, plus tools and insights to help you get where you want to go.
Not sure where to begin? Head to the Cisco Enterprise certifications community to get advice and connect with experts.
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BookMyShow and PVR Cinemas were penalised by a Hyderabad court for levying 'unfair' internet handling charges on consumers. They were directed to pay Rs 25,000 as compensation to Vijay along with an additional Rs 1,000 towards litigation costs. 5. Sardool Singh Ghumman.
2. You Don't Have to Be a Celebrity to Win a Consumer Case. A humble tea vendor, Rajesh Sakre, is an example of this. He had ₹20,000 in his State Bank of India account and had withdrawn ₹10,800. On his next visit to the ATM, however, he realized all his money was gone. When he asked the bank authorities they blamed it on him.
Top 10 Consumer Court Cases and Trials in India. 1. Dipika Pallikal, a squash champion, and an Arjuna awardee found used her Axis Bank Debit Card in a hotel at Netherlands' Rotterdam which failed. She had 10 times the bill amount in her account at that time. The bank said the incident was a case of 'Force Majeure' (an act of God ...
Judgements on Consumer Protection Laws, 2008 to 2020'. To this end, the chair has conducted studies to assess the existing legal regime for the protection of consumer's interest i.e. the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 in comparison with Consumer Protection Act, 1986 and spread the awareness
The court also directed interest @ 12% S.I. p.a. should be paid in case of a default. Citation: Punit Jain vs M/S. Ireo Grace Realtech Pvt. Ltd., Decided by The Consumer Disputes Redressal on 31st August, 2021, available at: Punit Jain vs M/S. Ireo Grace Realtech Pvt. Ltd., visited on 9th September, 2021.
The National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC). Over the years, these tribunals, along with the apex court, have developed a better understanding of the CPA, meanwhile making sure to strike a perfect balance between the demands of both sides. Following are ten important cases that hold relevance in case of consumer disputes:
Given the rapid growth and emerging trend of e-commerce have changed consumer preferences to buy online, this study analyzes the current Indian legal framework that protects online consumers' interests. A thorough analysis of the two newly enacted laws, i.e., the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020 and literature review support analysis of 290 ...
The article '8 Important Cases of Consumer Disputes' delves into eight pivotal legal cases that have played a crucial role in shaping consumer rights within India's legal framework governed by the Consumer Protection Act.. Click Here and Read about the History and Development of Consumer Protection Laws in India Introduction. The buying or hiring of goods & services is a vital facet of our ...
1. The applicant/original opponent no. 01 in CMA No. 352/2020 has filed present Review Application under Section 50 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (herein after referred to as the 'C.P. Act') Page 1 of 12 R.I. DESAI R.A. 15/21 wherein the main relief is prayed in present Review Application are as under:
In India, consumer protection has gained significant attention in recent years, with the introduction of the Consumer Protection Act in 2019, which aimed to strengthen the rights and interests of consumers. ... Consumers can seek mediation either before or during the proceedings of a consumer court case. It offers a platform for negotiation and ...
The 2016-guidelines aim to address the growing challenges of. e-consumers' protection by stimulating innovation and com-petition, including non-monetary transactions, digital con-tent products, consumers-to-consumers (C2C) transactions, mobile devices, privacy and security risks, payment pro-tection and product safety.
There are six rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and these are: the right to be protected against the marketing of goods, products or services which are hazardous to life and property; the right to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods, products or services, as the case may be, so as ...
You'd be shocked how simple these situations may be. So, here are five fascinating consumer complaint cases for your knowledge: 1. Banks can't always claim "technical difficulties" as an excuse. We have become so reliant on banks. Most of our transactions are now digital, and we rely largely on banks for them.
This article is written by Pujari Dharani, a B.A.LL.B. student at Pendekanti Law College, affiliated with Osmania University, Hyderabad.The article talks about the need for and history of consumer protection, all consumer rights as enshrined in the Constitution of India and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, who is a consumer, the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, many consumer protection ...
First, a brief overview of the architecture for the protection of consumer rights in e-commerce in India is provided. This includes the Consumer Protection Act 1986 and 2019. The second part of the article looks thoroughly at various consumer cases filed in the e-commerce category at district, state and national consumer forums in India to ...
Consumer protection | Representational image | Photo courtesy: Special arrangement. A One-Rupee Fight : Consumer Rights In India. Consumer Rights In India: Bhagwan Karia, a senior citizen and an RTI activist, fought a one-rupee case with a consumer court in Mumbai and won against the Indian Railways and a private limited company. What started as a mere exercise of checking weight on a weighing ...
The Consumer Protection Act of 2019 in India is responsible for managing consumer rights protection. The Consumer Protection Act of 1986 was repealed by the Consumer Protection Act of 2019. ... The Central Authority may also command searches and seizures for the purposes of this Act, in which case the Criminal Procedure Code of 1973 shall apply.
Protection Act and the cases before the Consumer Commission are governed by Section 69(1) of the Consumer Act.Accordingly, the complaint of the complainant is hereby dismissed being time barred. ...expiry of statutory period of two years under section 69(1) of the Consumer Protection Act.The Honble Supreme Court of India in Haryana...Urban Development Authority Versus B.K.Sood, Civil Appeal No ...
Key Words: Caveat Emptor, Consumer, Education, E- Commerce, Exploitation, India, Protection. Evolution of consumer Protection legislations in India: A study I. Introduction- According to Mahatma Gandhi, "A customer is the most important visitor on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it.
Consumer ignorance has been correlated with literacy levels in Lizzy's (1993) study on the efficacy of consumer redressal agencies in Kerala. High literacy rates corresponded to a higher number of complaints filed with the district consumer forums. Other studies show public apathy often based on disillusionment with the system.
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (CPA), which came into effect on July 24, 2020, is expected to go a long way in serving the interests of consumers at large. In times such as at the present, with the COVID-19 pandemic raging across the country, disputes are likely to arise over the shoddy services rendered in certain segments of the health care sector.<br/> In the views of <b>Alexander Thomas ...
The economic value of these data sets has largely been an enigma — until recently. Jacopo Perego, the Class of 1967 Associate Professor in the Economics Division at Columbia Business School, has co-authored a series of novel research papers on how consumer data should be valued, how it influences user welfare and platform profitability, and ...
Given the rapid growth and emerging trend of e-commerce have changed consumer preferences to buy online, this study analyzes the current Indian legal framework that protects online consumers' interests.A thorough analysis of the two newly enacted laws, i.e., the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and Consumer Protection (E-commerce) Rules, 2020 and literature review support analysis of 290 online ...
Cisco+ (as-a-service) Cisco buying programs. Cisco Nexus Dashboard. Cisco Networking Software. Cisco DNA Software for Wireless. Cisco DNA Software for Switching. Cisco DNA Software for SD-WAN and Routing. Cisco Intersight for Compute and Cloud. Cisco ONE for Data Center Compute and Cloud.
Indian Consumer Protection Cases Recap - 2021. In this post, we bring to you a recap of important Consumer Protection cases of Year 2021. The Bombay Dyeing Vs. Ashok Narang and Anr. In this case, the Appellant, The Bombay Dyeing and Manufacturing Company Ltd was the builder-promoter whereas Mr. Ashok Narang and others were the allotees/buyers ...
Simple, visible, and unified. Unify security across your high-performing data centers, providing superior visibility and efficiency. Then watch it work with ease. See, try, or buy a firewall. Block more threats and quickly mitigate those that breach your defenses. See Cisco threat-focused firewall hardware and software options.
How the EU determines if a non-EU country has an adequate level of data protection. The European Commission has the power to determine, on the basis of article 45 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 whether a country outside the EU offers an adequate level of data protection. The adoption of an adequacy decision involves: the adoption of the decision ...
In addition, there are other prevention strategies that you can choose to further protect yourself and others. Wearing a mask and putting distance between yourself and others can help lower the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Testing for COVID-19 can help you decide what to do next, like getting treatment to reduce your risk of severe illness ...
Reproductive effects such as decreased fertility or increased high blood pressure in pregnant women. Developmental effects or delays in children, including low birth weight, accelerated puberty, bone variations, or behavioral changes. Increased risk of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers.
Empower the world's biggest networks. Earning a CCNP Enterprise certification demonstrates your ability to scale and maintain enterprise networks to meet growing demands. Showcase your expertise in enterprise infrastructure, virtualization, assurance, security, and automation to influential employers.