15. 第 15 章

The Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs (BEUC) was founded in 1962 as a European organization dedicated to representing consumer interests and promoting protection. In 1960, five groups—including the Consumers Union (USA), the Consumers’ Association (UK), the Dutch Consumers’ Union, the Belgian Consumers’ Association, and the Norwegian Consumer Council—initiated the formation of the International Organization of Consumers Unions (IOCU). Its membership comprises full members and corresponding members; today, it encompasses 169 groups from over 50 countries. Headquartered in The Hague, it convenes the World Consumer Congress biennially. The IOCU’s objectives are: 1. To actively promote and facilitate consumer protection administration and organization-building in various nations; 2. To foster international cooperation in comparative testing of consumer goods and services, and to facilitate the exchange of testing methods and information; 3. To advance international collaboration in consumer information, education, and protection, and to collect and exchange legal data on consumer protection; 4. To aid and encourage consumer education and protection in developing countries. The organization plays an increasingly vital role across a broad spectrum of activities.

Prior to China's Reform and Opening-up, the long-standing highly centralized administrative economic system restricted commodity economic development. Consumer issues can only arise when production and consumption are separated. However, under conditions of underdeveloped commodity economy, producers were often artisans or small workshop owners who did not hold a significant economic advantage. The relationship between producers and consumers was viewed as reciprocal and interchangeable, and consumers theoretically had full freedom of choice. Reliance on civil law principles regarding breach of contract and tort liability was deemed sufficient to protect consumer interests and maintain equilibrium. Consequently, a distinct "consumer issue" did not emerge.

Starting in the late 19th century, profound changes occurred in the socio-economic landscape: 1. Due to transformations in production organization, producers were no longer artisans but modern large-scale enterprises and corporations possessing formidable economic power, placing them at a distinct advantage in exchanges. 2. Scientific and technological advancements rendered production processes highly complex, making it impossible for consumers to judge product quality at the point of purchase. 3. Due to the "distribution revoluti