Consumer matters are administered by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy. Consumer welfare is largely dependent on how well markets function, and consumer policy is interconnected with competition and industrial policy. The Ministry of Justice administers the drafting of consumer legislation, however, as well as the Market Court and the Consumer Disputes Board.
The Consumer Affairs Commission is associated with the Ministry of Employment and the Economy. Its members and deputy members are appointed to three-year terms by the Finnish Government. Members include representatives of authorities, consumer organisations, organisations of salaried employees, and associations of industry, trade and agriculture that deal with consumer issues. The chair of the Commission is the Minister of Labour, and the deputy chair is the Minister of Justice. Tasks of the Commission include the drafting of consumer policy programmes.
The task of the Finnish Consumer Agency is to safeguard and strengthen consumers’ position in society. The Director General of the Consumer Agency acts as the Consumer Ombudsman. Agency activities involve consumer law, monitoring of package travel operators, public education and communications (testing, investigations, consumer education, media and Internet services) as well as guidance and training for regional and local administration (six different functions). The Agency acts through supervision, influence and communications. The Finnish Consumer Agency is associated with the European Consumer Centre.
The European Consumer Centre operates within the Finnish Consumer Agency as part of the European Consumer Centres Network, which is charged with promoting consumer protection in cross-border trade between consumers and entrepreneurs on the European Internal Market. Its operations in Finland are funded by the Finnish Consumer Agency and the European Commission. The European Consumer Centre provides guidance and expertise for consumer questions about cross-border trade and, if needed, investigation and arbitration assistance in consumers' conflicts with entrepreneurs located in other member countries of the European Economic Area. The Consumer Centre receives investigation and arbitration assistance from sister offices located in other countries of the network. In matters concerning cross-border trade, as in other consumer matters, a consumer should first contact a consumer adviser in his or her home municipality.
The Consumer Disputes Board is an impartial and independent expert body with equal membership representation of consumers and entrepreneurs. It issues recommendations for resolving consumer and housing transaction disputes. The decisions of the Board are recommendations only and cannot be implemented by force. The Board may also issue statements to courts that are handling matters within its jurisdiction.
The National Consumer Research Centre studies, forecasts, and identifies factors contributing to change and risk in consumer society, consumer behaviour and markets, and provides consumer research data. In addition, the Research Centre participates in researcher training and promotes the operation of research networks as well as national and international cooperation among researchers. Its tasks include not only its own publication and communications activities, but also development and coordination of a national consumer research information service. The Research Centre improves and maintains the KULTU databases that store information about consumer research in Finland.
Consumer policy programmes are implemented regionally and locally as well, and the Finnish Consumer Agency's tasks include guiding and training the regional and local administrative units. Financial and debt advisers work in both the Regional State Administrative Agencies and municipalities, whereas there are people working on consumer and competition matters only in the Regional State Administrative Agencies, and consumer advisers only in the Local Register Offices. Each type of activity is organised under a separate system.
Consumer advisers provide general guidance to citizens regarding all consumer issues, arbitrate disputes between consumers and entrepreneurs, and help the Consumer Ombudsman to monitor marketing and contractual terms. Consumers are instructed to initially contact the consumer advisory.
The statutory financial and debt advisory services are organised primarily by municipalities. Advisers