21-23 September 2020

The dynamics of the consumer market are such that it transcends borders and realms. The products and services traded in this market are evolving and changing on a daily basis. They are increasingly sophisticated and complex. 

We are now on the frontiers of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which drives the search for a new regulatory landscape aligned with the challenges that this exciting epoch presents. If our aim is to protect consumers, especially vulnerable ones, we need to consciously consider, now more than ever, the type of approach we support. Is more intrusive and expansive regulation the answer? Should we completely rethink and innovate our approach to consumer protection and take it to new dimensions? Or do we need to consider a more balanced and proportional approach? 

We invite you to join us in this exciting debate where we can freely share ideas in the interest of expanding knowledge and shaping policy in the area of consumer protection. At the 4^th University of Pretoria International Consumer Protection Law Conference, we would like to explore the concept of a balanced approach between proportionality and consumer regulation and how it affects all the various aspects, policies, theories, areas and rights that is considered to be part of Consumer Protection. This would include for example General Consumer Protection, Financial Consumer Protection and Credit Law, E-Commerce and other related areas. 

Send your abstract of no more than 500 words to Jani van Wyk at [email protected] by 30 June 2020.

Contact Jacolien Barnard at [email protected] or Jani van Wyk for more information

https://www.up.ac.za/cf-upiclc2020

In addition … African realities and approaches to Consumer Protection

The UPICLC 2020 will include a concurrent stream of presentations for participants from other African jurisdictions (or any other jurisdiction) to disseminate the position relating to the conference theme and the position in Africa or a particular African country/countries.  

We will also have a one-day workshop on 21 September 2020 facilitated by the Attorney General Alliance Africa (“AGA Africa”) on inter alia debt collection, credit reporting, privacy, e-commerce and secured transactions involving movable assets with a comparative perspective of the United States of America and how these transactions relate to the South African and African positions. Any other jurisdictions are welcome to attend!

Important information

Abstracts      Abstracts must be submitted no later than 30 June 2020 and must not exceed 500 words. The abstract must contain the following information of the candidate: title, surname, affiliated institution, position held at institution and an e-mail address where the candidate can be reached. This information does not form part of the word count for the abstract.

All abstracts are peer-reviewed. Candidates are requested to proofread their abstracts to ensure that the language and style is of high quality. 

All presentations at the conference will be in English and no provision is made for translators. As such, prospective participants need to be proficient in English or make provision for their own translators to accompany them. Feedback on submitted abstracts will be given within two weeks of date of submission of the abstracts

Venue      The conference will take place from 21 to 23 September 2020 at the new Future Africa Campus of the University of Pretoria. 

Accommodation is available at the venue and must be arranged directly with the venue. Visit the Future Africa website at www.futureafrica.science for more information.

Conference fee   3 500 ZAR which includes the AGA Africa-workshop, evening welcoming function, conference dinner, and refreshments and lunch on the days of the conference. Delegates are responsible for their own travel and accommodation expenses. 

Masters and doctoral candidates, as well as post-graduate research fellows qualify for a reduced fee of 1 750 ZAR upon application to the conference committee. Delegates who only wish to attend one of the two conference days, together with the workshop, qualify for a reduced conference fee of 2 000 ZAR upon application to the conference committee.

Important dates

Conference Day: 17-18 April 2020

General Aim and Outcome

2019, the EU adopted two new Directives in the field of consumer contract law: The Directive on Contracts for the Supply of Digital Content and Services 2019/770 and the Consumer Sales Directive 2019/771. Both directives harmonise key consumer contract law rules regarding digital content, digital services, and smart goods across the EU. 

At our Conference, international high-level experts from different European countries will deal with the scope and content of the new directives, their implications for industry and the question of how the new rules should be transposed in Member States. An additional panel will look at new technologies and business models (AI, blockchain, internet of bodies, Legal Tech) to see whether the new rules for consumer contracts are fit to deal with them.

Target Audience

The conference is suitable for all legal practitioners, academics, students, judges and government officials dealing with issues of digitalization and (consumer) contract law.

The conference forms part of the Project “PRG124 Protection of consumer rights in the Digital Single Market – contractual aspects”, funded by the Estonian Research Council. It is additionally supported by the Social Sciences Development Fund.

Organizers 

Prof. Dr. Karin Sein; Prof. Dr. Martin Ebers

For more information : https://sisu.ut.ee/digitalconsumercontractlawconference/avaleht