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Case Details
- National ID: Consumer Rights Protection Centre Decision Nr.E03-KREUD-23
- Member State: Latvia
- Common Name:link
- Decision type: Administrative decision, first degree
- Decision date: 15/04/2010
- Court: Consumer Rights Protection Centre (Riga)
- Subject:
- Plaintiff:
- Defendant:
- Keywords: black list, illegal products, misleading commercial practices, misleading statements, misrepresentation

Directive Articles

Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, Chapter 2, Article 5, 4., (a) Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, Chapter 4, Article 13 Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, Annex I, 9.
Headnote

Annex I-9 of the UCP Directive is violated when a trader advertises for employment services for which it is not licensed.
Facts

The trader was placing advertisements with certain job offers in the media. The Consumer Rights Protection Centre found that the trader did not hold the necessary license for job placement services.

The trader admitted that it did not hold the license, but claimed that:

(1) the respective potential employers had authorized the trader to conclude the employment agreements on their behalf; and

(2) after the license was lost, no new employment agreements were concluded with potential employees, and all existing customers had been informed that the service was discontinued.
Legal issue

(1) The trader had not submitted any evidence that the potential employers had authorised the trader to conclude employment agreements on their behalf. The Consumer Rights Protection Centre concluded that the promotion of a service which the trader is not legally entitled to provide, constitutes a misleading commercial practice and breaches Annex I-9 of the UCP Directive.

(2) The Consumer Rights Protection Centre did not review the argument that no harm was done to consumers as no customers were attracted, no employment contracts were concluded and all those who had expressed an interest had been notified about the termination of the service. There was no evidence provided by the trader that confirmed the accuracy of this statement.
Decision

(1) Can a trader promote a service which requires a special license when the trader does not hold such license?

(2) Is it relevant that no actual clients were attracted and that no contracts were concluded, when considering the violation at stake?

URL: http://www.ptac.gov.lv/upload/ptac_lemumi/2010/r_e_expert_izraksts_15.04.2010.pdf

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Result

The trader was penalised for having committed an unfair commercial practice.

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IZRAKSTS

Redakcijas datums: 01.09.2008.

Latvijas Republikas Ekonomikas ministrija

Pateretaju tiesibu aizsardzibas centrs

K.Valdemara iela 157, Riga, LV – 1013 ¿¿talr. (+371) 67388624 ¿¿fakss (+371) 67388634 ¿¿e-pasts: ptac@ptac.gov.lv

LEMUMS

Riga

2010.gada 15.aprili Nr.E03-KREUD-23

Par negodigas komercprakses istenošanu un naudas soda uzlikšanu

saskana ar Latvijas Administrativo parkapumu kodeksa 166.13 panta trešo

dalu

Pateretaju tiesibu aizsardzibas centra direktores vietniece Brigita Liepina,

piedaloties sabiedribas ar ierobežotu atbildibu „R.E.Expert”,

juridiska adrese: Brivibas iela 132-1, Riga,

vienotas registracijas numurs: 40003924780,

pilnvarotajai personai

(...)

izskatija administrativa parkapuma lietu par talak mineto.

Pateretaju tiesibu aizsardzibas centrs (turpmak – PTAC) saskana ar

Reklamas likuma 14.panta pirmo dalu, konstatejot laikraksta „Diena”

23.02.2010. izvietoto darba iekartošanas reklamu neatbilstibu normativo aktu

prasibam, uzsaka mineto reklamu izvertešanu.

Sanemot no SIA „Dienas Mediji” informaciju, ka reklamas ir izvietojusi

SIA „R.E.Expert” (turpmak – Sabiedriba), PTAC, nemot vera Nodarbinatibas

valsts agenturas (turpmak – NVA) informaciju par to, ka Sabiedribai nav NVA

izsniegtas licences darbiekartošanas pakalpojumu sniegšanai, konstateja, ka

Sabiedriba isteno negodigu komercpraksi.

PTAC norada, ka atbilstoši Negodigas komercprakses aizlieguma likuma

(turpmak – NKAL) 1.panta pirmas dalas 2.punktam, kas nosaka, ka

komercprakse – darbiba (uzvediba, apgalvojums, komerciala sazina, tirgvediba)

vai bezdarbiba (noklusejums), kas tieši saistita ar tirdzniecibas veicinašanu,

preces (kermeniskas vai bezkermeniskas lietas) pardošanu vai pakalpojuma

sniegšanu pateretajam, reklamas par darbiekartošanas pakalpojumu sniegšanu

izplatišana ir uzskatama par komercpraksi, jo ta ir darbiba, kas tieši saistita ar

pakalpojuma sniegšanas veicinašanu pateretajiem.

2

Laikraksta „Diena” izvietotajas reklamas Sabiedriba piedava oficiantes,

pavara un suši meistara darbu Kipra un siera iepakošanas, metinataja un caurulu

montiera darbu Niderlande (turpmak – Reklama).

Saskana ar NKAL 1.panta pirmas dalas 1.punktu, kas nosaka, ka

komercprakses istenotajs - ražotajs, pakalpojuma sniedzejs vai pardevejs, kas

savas saimnieciskas vai profesionalas darbibas ietvaros isteno komercpraksi, ka

ari jebkura cita persona, kas rikojas ražotaja, pakalpojuma sniedzeja vai

pardeveja varda vai uzdevuma, ir komercprakses istenotajs, Sabiedriba ir

uzskatama par komercprakses istenotaju.

NKAL 11.panta 9.punkts nosaka, ka komercprakse jebkuros apstaklos ir

maldinoša, ja komercprakses istenotajs apgalvo vai ka citadi rada iespaidu, ka

preci drikst likumigi pardot vai pakalpojumu sniegt, bet tas neatbilst patiesibai.

Pateretajs, izlasot sludinajumu, kura ir ieklauti vardi „Darbs Kipra”,

„Darbs Niderlande” un noraditas konkretas vakances, neparprotami saprot, ka

vinam tiek piedavats darba iekartošanas pakalpojums. Turklat Reklama ir

noradits talruna numurs Latvija, nevis kada norade uz iespeju sazinaties ar

konkretiem darba devejiem noraditajas valstis. Tadejadi Sabiedriba ir radijusi

iespaidu, ka tai ir tiesibas sniegt darba iekartošanas pakalpojumu, bet tas

neatbilst patiesibai, jo Sabiedriba nav sanemusi licenci šada pakalpojuma

sniegšanai, ka to nosaka Bezdarbnieku un darba mekletaju atbalsta likuma

17.panta otra dala: Sniegt darbiekartošanas pakalpojumus (iznemot p

Case law

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