Key Facts
- Federal Ministry of Justice presents draft bill to improve the legal position of consumers vis-à-vis companies.
- Assignment prohibitions in general terms and conditions for monetary claims will be ineffective in future.
- General terms and conditions may only regulate shorter initial terms and automatic contract extensions.
- Confirmation solution for distance selling contracts for energy supplies by telephone is introduced.
- Businesses must document the consent of consumers to telephone advertising.
- The aim is to combat unauthorized telephone advertising more effectively.
- Experts and associations can comment until February 24, 2020.
The Federal Ministry of Justice has presented a draft bill that is intended to further improve the legal position of consumers vis-à-vis companies and which is also intended to ensure that not only the conclusion of contracts takes place under fairer conditions, but also that the contractual terms are subject to more balanced regulations.
The draft bill provides for the following measures, among others:
- In future, prohibitions on the assignment of monetary claims contained in general terms and conditions of business are to be invalid.
- Only shorter initial terms and automatic contract extensions can be regulated by general terms and conditions.
- A confirmation solution is introduced for distance contracts for energy supplies concluded by telephone, i.e. consumers must confirm gas and electricity supply contracts in writing or by e-mail after the contracts have been made available on a data carrier.
- Entrepreneurs will be required to document and retain consumers’ consent to telephone advertising. This is intended to combat unauthorized telephone advertising more strongly.
Professionals and associations have the opportunity to comment on the draft bill until February 24, 2020.
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