Completion of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection — The Specific Case of Switzerland

Abstract

In spite of the non-ratification of the EEA Agreement by Switzerland as a result of the negative vote of its citizens on 6 December 1992, the completion of the Internal Market had an important impact on Swiss consumer law. Of course, the transposition of the consumer relevant acquis communautaire into national law became void. However, the Swiss legislator re-adopted nearly all legislation on consumer protection within the framework of the new policy on revitalization of the economy. In addition the future legislation should be as euro-compatible as possible. Thus, the main impetus to raise the level of Swiss consumer law to the (minimum) European standard comes from EC policy.