Two seminars on consumer protection

Details

Published: June 17, 2020

As part of the IRZ programme for Bosnia and Herzegovina, two events on consumer protection took place between 8 and 12 June 2020.

Online seminar: The practical effects of European law on national law, using consumer law as an example

This online seminar for judges took place on Friday 12 June 2020, in partnership with the Judicial and Prosecutorial Training Centre of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. IRZ expert Prof. Dr. Zlatan Meskic (see below) presented practical cases from consumer legislation in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the event. Using these cases as examples, the speaker introduced European directives as the basis for national legislation. Professor Meskic pointed out that some of these national directives had been inadequately or inappropriately implemented and that the subject of general terms and conditions of business was also regulated by various legal provisions. In this context, the processing and solving of the cases he presented brought up some highly complex legal issues, which he discussed in detail with the judges, who were taking part in the event from their offices in Bihac, Mostar, Zenica and Sarajevo.

Online seminar: The case method in German legal training based on consumer law

The previous two-day online seminar held on 8 and 10 June with postgraduate students from the Law Faculty at the University of Zenica took a somewhat different approach. Since this postgraduate course has a good reputation in the region, a participant from Croatia also took part in the event. During the online seminar, IRZ expert Prof. Dr. Zlatan Meskic presented the case method in German legal training based on cases from consumer law. Consumer legislation is particularly suitable here in that, in addition to traditional interpretation methods, the technique for interpretation in compliance with directives is also possible. This is a new development for those countries, which are still trying to join the EU but have already harmonised some of their legislation.

Professor Meskic was the main speaker, supported by Dr Stefan Pürner, who is the IRZ Head of Section for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dr. Pürner speaks the local language and spent time studying abroad to complete nostrification of his qualifications in 1989 to become a certified lawyer in what was then Yugoslavia. Both speakers were therefore able to work as a team, with no need for interpreters, to discuss in detail the national law of the participants in this area that is shaped by European law. This is a particular advantage for online events, which can lead to delays and loss of information even without interpreting.

About the speaker

Prof. Dr. Zlatan Meskic is currently teaching at the Prince Sultan University in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. He studied and completed his court training in Vienna, where he also obtained a doctorate in “European consumer protection”.