New consumer rules require human assistance for online services

Parliament has adopted stricter consumer protection rules for contracts concluded remotely, including online financial services.

Customers using an online platform will have the right to ask to communicate with a real person rather than rely solely on an automated system, and businesses will be required to provide such assistance. Any explanations customers need must be given in the same language in which they received the information before entering into the contract. Businesses will also have to prove that they have complied with these requirements, reporter Daniel Inkov said.

The changes also target “greenwashing” – misleading claims about the environmental credentials of products or businesses.

Parliament rejected a Democratic Bulgaria proposal for a central electronic register of court orders requiring access to online content to be restricted.

Editor: Miglena Ivanova