Petra

AMMAN — The Cabinet on Sunday endorsed the 2012 draft consumer protection law, which will be referred to Parliament.

The bill seeks to safeguard consumers from price manipulation and ensure the quality of food items.

The law includes three aspects — the monitoring of goods by government and civil society institutions to ensure they meet the set standards; the legislative aspect, which entails revisiting all existing laws related to consumers; and the awareness aspect, which aims at increasing consumers' awareness of their rights and duties.

Under the law, a higher consumer protection council will be established to draw up and suggest regulations related to consumers and coordinate with all concerned agencies.

The bill also stipulates the formation of a union of consumer protection societies to coordinate civil institutions' efforts in safeguarding citizens.

The draft law also adopts a set of consumer rights stipulated in international conventions and gives the consumer protection directorate, which will be part of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the right to refer traders violating its provisions to the judiciary without prior notification.

His Majesty King Abdullah has directed the government on several occasions to draft such a law to safeguard citizens against harmful market behaviour.